Davids' 
p r^cticalIetterer 



INSTfti TIONf IN CO f'ERCIAL LEVERING 
WITH BRUSH « D PEN, COMPLETE DE"5A!LS 
OF SHOW CRD WORK, PHOTO-ENGRAVING HINTS 



P U JSHEO 



THADDEL DAVIDS CO. 



til ESTABLISHED 1825 



127 WILLIAM ST. KEW-YORK 




Class _ 

Book_ '" • ■ 
Copyright N ^ 



COPYKIGHT DEPOStT. 



Davids' Practical Letterer 



INSTRUCTIONS IN COMMERCIAL LETTERING 
WITH BRUSH OR PEN. COMPLETE DETAILS 
OF SHOW-CARD WORK. PRACTICAL HINTS 
ON PHOTO-ENGRAVING AND DESIGNING 



COPYRIGHT, MARCH, 1903 

TIIADDEUS DAVIDS COMPANY 

127 WILLIAM ST., NEW YORK 



COMPn,ED BY 
SIDNEY HACKES 



DESIGNS BY 
ARNOLD BINGER 



Rhimenberg Press, 214-218 William Street, New York. 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 



Two Co 


jjea 


Received 1 


APR 


2!! 


1903 


Copy 


igM 


Entry 


CLASS 


-il 4 

C*, XXo. No. 


COPY 


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PREFACE 



THE publishers of this book have during the last decade received hundreds of 
requests from all parts of the world to supply a concise treatise on practical 
lettering, such as is in everyday use among card-writers. At great expense 
they have succeeded in presenting to the public information which is invaluable to 
any person desirous of learning the art of lettering with brush or pen. 

Lettering colleges charge from $5 to $25 for a somewhat limited and theoretical 
course of lessons by mail. This book, which is offered at the modest price of $1, 
contains more practical information than can be gleaned from any other source, 
besides giving details of every branch of show-card work. 

All of the designs are from the pen and brush of Arnold Binger, the most cele- 
brated card-writer of to-day. The text is furnished by Sidney Hackes, publisher, 
who during twenty -five years has made a special study of this art. 

The bcok is issued by Thaddeus Davids Company, with no thought of profit, but 
for the purpose Ot instructing the thousands of consumers of Letterine, which this 
company manufactures, in the correct use of it, besides imparting much needed 
information about other colors used for show-card work. 

The hints relating to photo-engraving and electrotyping will prove valuable to 
those who require illustrations for advertising. 






/ 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



NSTRUCTIONS. 



Tage 

Atomizers 74 

Beveling 82 

Brush Script :>S and 41 

Brush Strokes G 

Cardboard 14 

Centering 22 

Circles 28 

Cut-nuts 6G 

Cutting Chalk 20 

Cutting Dies.... 84 

Drawing Tens. .'. 3G 

Duplicating Cards by Engraving 70 

Duplicating Scrolls 78 

Edge lines on Tickets 48 

Electrotyping 90 

Embossed Ornaments SO 

Erasures IS 

Fancy Show Cards 70 

First Lesson 8 

Flat Stroke Letters 30 

Flitter 80 

Fli ick D8 

Floral Cards OS 

Glue 84 

Grease Spots — How to Remove 28 

Half-tone Engraving 90 

Initials 88 

Laying Out 24 

Lettering Mirrors with Soap 48 

Lettering on Glass 70 

Block Capitals 19 and 21 

Block Letters Shaded 51 

Block Numbers 31 

Brush Pen-work 73 

Brush Script, Capitals 49 and 50 

Brush Script, Lower Case 45 and 46 

Brush Script, Numbers 47 

Brush Script, Shaded 53 

Cut-out 65 and 07 

Embossed Cards 04 

Flat Stroke, Brush and Pen Numbers 37 

Flat Stroke, Brush Numbers 37 



Page 

Mat ( utting >. 

Mounting I ardboard l> 

I >il I loth Signs 95 

Painting on Satin 9? 

Paper Edging 24 

Paste 34 

Penwork 32 to 30 

Photo Engraving SS 

Photo I i : ivinfi Objects 91 

Photographing Colors Black vi 

Preface 2 

Preparing for Practice 7 

Price Tickets 54 

Proportion 20 

Rapidity 7 

Reduction Glass 92 

Reduction in Engraving 91 

Ribbonettes 70 

Rococo Panels S4 

Ruling Across Cards 30 

Ruling Edge-lines 

Sample Letters 86 

Second Lesson L0 

Shading 18 

Shading Pens 30 

Show Card Talk 58 

Smalt 98 

Spacing 22 

Spatterwork 70 

Stencils 08 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Flat Stroke, Capitals 33 

Flat Stroke, Lower Case 35 

Flat Stroke. Numbers 17 

Holiday Cards 71 and 72 

How to Hold Brush or Pen insert pages 

Initialing Chart 9 

Panels 75 and 85 

Penwork, Slant, Capitals 40 

Penwork, Slant, Lower Case 30 

Penwork, Slant, Numbers 41 

Penwork. Upright, Capitals 43 

Penwork, Upright, Lower Case 42 



Page 

Stumpwork 12 

Subji cl Cards 58 

l mt. Paper 95 

Transparencies, Cardboard 80 

'I ransparencies, Indoor 97 

Transparencies, Outdoor Cloth 9G 

VJtensils 4 

Wash Drawings 94 

Wrong Slant 26 

PAINTS. 

Black Paint 98 

Bronze so 

Color Mi hi . 99 

1 listemper Color 5 

Dry Paint 5 

Lettering 6 

< Hi Cloth Paint 96 

White Paint 14 

SCROLLS. 

Centre 80 

Corner 82 

Script Brush 80 

Scrolls ,78 

Side SO 

Panels 74 

Penwork, Upright, Numbers 41 

Price Tickets 55 to 63 

Ribbonettes 77 

Scrolls 71», 83 and S3 

Scroll Brush .Script 87 

Scroll Initials. 89 

Single Stroke Capitals 13 

Single Stroke Numbers 17 

Stencil 67 

Stumpwork, Lower Case 15 

Western Capitals 23 and 25 

Western Lower Case 27 and 29 



DA]' IDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 

Many persons with a desire to learn the art of letter- 
ing never make the attempt, because they are deficient 
in penmanship and think it useless to try. Most card 
writers, who with a brush create ideal script letters, 
write so imperfectly with an ordinary pen that few can 
decipher it. "Practice makes perfect." A careful pe- 
rusal of this book and frequent trials of the sugges- 
tions here given will soon bring results that will prove 
encouraging to the most untalented. 

UTENSILS. 

The best artisans use the fewest tools. I advise the 
beginner to buy only what is absolutely essential, and 
advocate the purchase of the best tools. Fointed sable 
lettering brushes are the kind to buy. With proper 
care they outlast any three of the cheap kinds, and the 
work you can do with them will be perfect and clean- 
edged. Buy one each of No. 5, No. 7 and No. 11. 
Although they are all pointed, they can be manipulated 
to do all kinds of flat lettering. The handle should not 
be longer than six inches. Cut ofr the surplus length, 
using a penknife. This set of brushes, once used for 
water colors, should never be used for oil colors. A 
palette knife or a stick is the only tool needed for mix- 



ing colors, and lettering brushes should never be used 
for mixing. Some brushes with proper care will last two 
years, so it is worth while getting the best grades. 
Brushes should always be washed out thoroughly in 
water after using. All surplus moisture should then 
be squeezed from the brush by gentle pressure, sliding 
the thumb and forefinger toward the brush point. 
This will make your brush outlast any three of those 
handled carelessly. Never allow color to dry on the 
brush ; always wash it out in water. Do this each time 
you are disturbed, and never allow the brush to stand 
upright leaning against the hairs, but be sure to rinse 
it and lay it flat on your table. When using colors 
that require mixing, the palette knife, which is made 
of very elastic steel, should be moved quickly from side 
to side, alternating at times by giving it a rotating mo- 
tion, all the while giving it a fairly gentle pressure 
against the flat glass, marble slab or plate on which the 
color is being mixed, and occasionally using the edges 
of the knife for scraping and gathering the paint, until 
it is thoroughly ground and mixed. A palette knife 
should be almost the size of an ordinary table knife, 
though smaller ones can be used. The trowel-shaped 
kind is preferable. A flat cork is often used for this 
purpose. Two glasses or cups for water should be 
provided, one for washing out the color as much as 
possible and the other for giving the brush its 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



second clean wash. Now we want at least two each 
of the flat Nos. i, 2, 3 and 4 stub pens. The life of 
a pen when in constant use is one or two days, al- 
though two or even three are sometimes necessary for 
one day's work. Two music pens should also be pro- 
vided. Music pens have three points, but look exactly 
like any other pen until one presses down the point, 
which has two slits instead of one. These pens are 
used for small script letters, especially when white 
paint is used, and for "truing" or finishing of? vari- 
ous kinds of irregularities or incompleted angles .on 
letters that are written partly with the flat pens or 
brush. A soft pencil, two ordinary penholders, a few 
pieces of white chalk, a long ruler, a piece of very soft 
rubber called sponge rubber, four thumb-tacks, some 
mucilage, besides any kind of color that may be de- 
cided upon by the learner, and a rag for wiping the 
palette knife and pens, and another for wiping cards 
and to use for pasting, as explained later, will com- 
plete your entire outfit. 

SHOW-CARD PAINTS— DRY PAINT. 

Drv paints that are mixed with water and mucilage 
are used for show-cards. There are many kinds, but 
the learner should at first use only black, though any 
color may be used. Dry paint can be bought in any 



paint supply store in small quantities. To prepare it 
for lettering take a quantity and soak it with alcohol; 
this "cuts" the paint (loosens it). Now take enough 
mucilage to thoroughly mix it, by using a palette knife 
or cork, into a thick mass, gradually adding more mu- 
cilage until the paint is as thick as heavy syrup. Then 
from a water bottle, having a cork with a quill through 
it or the kind used on a catsup bottle, add a little water 
at a time, so that the paint does not become too thin. 
For pen-work, described elsewhere, the ink must be 
only one-third as thick as for brush-work. An ordi- 
nary ball of wash bluing, carefully mixed and thinned 
as described, will answer the purpose for practice. 

DISTEMPER COLORS. 

Another paint that is all prepared excepting that it 
has no "sizing" (i. e., mucilage or glue), and which is 
also used by fresco painters, is called "distemper." 
It is sold in glass jars, with tin covers, and is already 
mixed with water, so about one-quarter inch of water 
should always cover the upper surface, to keep it from 
becoming hard or lumpy. Fresco painters add dis- 
solved glue (for sizing) to these distemper colors to 
keep them from rubbing 1 iff. You can take some paint 
from the jar and add only mucilage, mixing it thor- 
oughlv and use it on show-cards. 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



LETTERINE. 

The third and positively best show-card paint for 
learners as well as professionals is Letterine. It is al- 
ways ready for use, needs only a little water when too 
thick, and dries rapidly with a gloss. Professional 
show-card painters and lettering colleges use black 
Letterine. All the lettering designs for this book were 
made with Letterine, and, while I frankly admit that 
hundreds of other mixtures may be used, nothing can 
equal it for convenience or effectiveness. Letterine 
can be had in white and all colors, and can readily be 
mixed to form many shades and tints. 

For outlining and for pen-work use two parts Let- 
terine mixed with one part water. After the outline is 
dry fill in with pure Letterine. Two ordinary glass 
inkstands, with covers, will answer best for this pur- 
pose. In green, red, blue and purple, Letterine is of 
unusual brilliancy, affording an opportunity for color 
display not readily obtained by the use of ordinary 
pigments, besides drying more rapidly. 



properly distributed, and that the centre hairs shall be 
charged with as much color as the outside. After you 
dip your brush into the liquid, take a piece of smooth 
paper or cardboard, then wriggle the brush sidewise. 
gently drawing it toward you, on one side ; do the same 
on the other side ; now relieve the brush of any sur- 
plus color (according to the work you wish to do) 
by one or two gliding rotating strokes against the pa- 
per, and you are ready to write your line any thickness 
you please. There are no soiled dishes to wash when 
yoar work is finished, and if you are using Letterine 
you will save much waste by observing this rule. All 
rules are violated, but the writer can vouch for the 
desirability of following this method, as it not only 
gives the best results for controlling the shaping of the 
brush but prolongs its durability. The brush should 
be charged with color frequently in the manner de- 
scribed. Do not wait until all the color is freed from 
the brush. In this way your edge lines will always be 
even and your brush strokes continuous, making your 
letters appear more symmetrical and artistic. 



TO FILL THE BRUSH. 



BRUSH STROKES. 



Students should remember that merely to dip a brush 
into color is not all that is required before using it for 
lettering. It is necessary that the color should be 



Always make your brush strokes continuous. Never 
make short, choppy strokes. Gliding the brush on its 
point, with a uniform gentle pressure in one stroke 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



downward, crosswise, slanting either from right to left 
or left to right, is the proper movement for outline 
work or script. Expert writers of script, or complex 
scroll-work, make most letters not disjointed in their 
composition in continuous strokes. The most diffi- 
cult branches of card writing are script letters and 
scrolls. These should never be used until the rudi- 
ments of lettering are thoroughly mastered. An expert 
scroll writer does his work so rapidly that it is barely 
possible to realize that he is performing the delicate 
and intricate task of designing beautiful curves. 

When outlining it is best to make light lines, as er- 
rors can be more readily noticed and corrected. For 
filling in from one-quarter to two-thirds of the brush 
surface is used. For rapid one-stroke letters the brush 
is well rilled with color, which should flow freely from 
its extreme point. For flat brush-work the strokes 
are more varied, first using the extreme flat edge of the 
brush in an almost upright position, and then from 
one-quarter to one-half of its length. No matter how 
thin the stroke may be, the entire flat width of the 
brush must always touch the paper. 

RAPIDITY. 

In order that you acquire confidence in yourself 
and to aid your future efforts it is advisable to exe- 



cute work rapidly. Do not be over-careful. Start in 
boldly. It will be somewhat discouraging for you in 
the beginning to see that your lines are crooked, of va- 
ried thickness, and seem almost impossible for you to 
control the brush. Try often, follow the instructions 
carefully ; watch the original copy and guide lines each 
time you make an attempt to copy a letter, and you 
will soon be rewarded for your diligence. Practice 
makes perfect. Do not expect to master any part of 
the instructions without careful and honest effort. 

PREPARING FOR PRACTICE. 

The first plate of engravings illustrates the funda- 
mental principles of lettering. Whoever masters these 
brush strokes, executing them quickly and in a manner 
approaching the precision here indicated, will be able 
within a few weeks to write show-cards of more than 
commonplace merit. The learner should provide one 
sheet of ten-ply cardboard, size 22 x 28 inches, and ten 
sheets (size 12 x 18 inches) of any kind of paper; or- 
dinary manila wrapping paper of any thickness will 
do. The card should be fastened to a board or to a 
table at each corner by using four ordinary carpet 
tacks or four thumb-tacks. One sheet of paper should 
then be fastened in the same manner on the card with 
thumb-tacks, and ruled into squares of i^ inches. The 



DAI IDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



original designs from which these engravings are made 
are drawn in this size, which is desirable for practice. 
It will be readily noticed that not one of the designs is 
perfect, either in the spacing or in the thickness of the 
lines. All of the characters on the first plate were 
made within ten minutes as a test for rapidity. Show- 
card work is not usually executed with the same exact- 
ness as lettering on sign-work, which is intended to be 
permanent, requiring greater care and comparatively 
much more time for completion. 

THE FIRST LESSON. 

Holding your No. 5 brush in the position indicated 
on the first engraving, allow its point to touch the pa- 
per as lightly as you can, beginning at the top line of 
No. 1, Fig. A. Allow your two lower fingers and the 
lower side of your hand to rest on the table, first plac- 
ing a piece of loose paper under your hand to keep the 
sheet clean and free from perspiration. Keep them in 
that position without changing until Fig. A is com- 
pleted. Now extend your thumb and other two fingers 
(the second engraving shows the appearance of the 
other side of the hand) and make the downward 
stroke, so that by the time you reach the bottom of the 
square your brush will be almost perpendicular. Then 
make stroke No. 5. then No. 3 (to get to the centre of 



the square), and then strokes Nos. 2 and 4. Do not 
mark anything with pencil. We intend to train our 
eyes to measure space. For Fig. B the brush is held in 
the same manner, almost perpendicular all the time. 
None of the fingers are moved, the hand being moved 




Fig. 1. 

by movement of the forearm, gliding it gently on the 
paper from left to right for each line. Make lines 
1-7-4; 2 and 3, 5 and 6. Figs. A and B should now be 
tried by making the lines in rotation. Then make 
Figs. C and D, lines in rotation. 



THE INITIATING CHART. 



i 3 4 




3 3 9 




1 S * 




C 





^ r^n 





/c 





C 3 









© 



DA]' IDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



In Fig. E the lines are made from right to left 
downward, keeping the hand in the same fixed posi- 
tion on the table. In Fig. F the lines are made from left 
to right downward. After you have made these lines 
as numbered, make them all by beginning at No. 4 and 
then Nos. 3, 2 and 1. 




Fig. 



In Fig. G make the lines in the order indicated and 
in the directions noted by the arrows, but do not move 
the forearm, making only finger and wrist movements. 

Figs. H, I, J, K and L are to be made likewise. 



THE SECOND LESSON. 

Eleven letters in the alphabet have curved lines — 
B, C, D, G, O, P, Q, R, S, U, &. To write these let- 
ters properly one must be able to make a fairly good 
circle free hand. 

To lessen the difficulties of acquiring this knack, 
first take a lead pencil, with a long sharp point, and 
hold it exactly as you would a brush in Fig. 3, allow- 
ing the point to rest very lightly on your card. Now, 
with a gentle pressure on the outside first joint of your 
little finger, rotate your arm at the elbow from right 
to left, going over the same lines constantly, forming a 
circle about i| inches in diameter. Repeat this move- 
ment ten times without stopping, trying to keep your 
circles within a quarter inch width. Then begin another 
circle, trying as nearly as possible to keep your lines 
closely together. Now repeat the same motion from 
left to right. After you have made ten each of such 
circles to the right and left take your brush and make 
the first curved line from right to left, then from left to 
right. Now make the circle on the chart. Stroke 1, 
A to B, but you should allow your brush to glide past 
B upward, gradually away from the card when you 
reach the point B, and should continue the circular mo- 
tion with the uplifted brush as though you were form- 
ing the complete circle without lifting it. The quicker 



10 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



you perform this motion the more perfect will be 
your circle or semicircle. The same semicircle and 
continuous motions must then be made from left to 
right, Stroke 2, A to B, then raising the brush and 
completing the circle in the air to A. 




Fig. 3. 

You will now be fully prepared to make a fairly 
proportioned circle in two strokes, varying the practice 
by alternating the strokes. 

Each time you make a new circle, remembering that 
the more perpendicularly you hold your brush the more 



readily and perfect you can make the circle. The 
next figure of interlocked circles is to occupy one 
and a half of two squares on your paper. Make the 
strokes as indicated by the directions of the arrows and 
numbers, then reverse the movements as before. The 
figure adjoining represents two horizontal ellipses, the 
movements of the brush being the same as for circles. 

The next strokes are readily made, and when joined 
make the letter S. After practicing several times, 
make the letter in one continuous stroke. The next 
figure represents the top of the number 2, or of an in- 
terrogation mark. Beginning at the inner left loop, 
swing your brush around toward the right, making 
one continuous stroke. By repeating this stroke and 
adding the lower stroke to the right, we have the fig- 
ure 2. The ellipses should now be practiced, making 
strokes from A to the left to B, and from A to the 
right to B ; then reversing the strokes. The two lines 
should always interlock bv continuing the strokes after 
passing the intersections at A and B, and gradually 
raising the brush from the paper. 

Now practice the figure 6, beginning at the top, and 
make one continuous stroke to the left, and finish it. 
In the figure 9 the stroke is reversed, beginning at the 
lower inner side of the loop ; swing the brush down to 
the left, then around upward and down to the right. 
Practice these two figures several times and then try the 



11 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



last two spirals in continuous strokes ; the first one 
to the left, the last one to the right. 

After you have practiced all of the movements on 
the first chart, at least ten times each, with a No. 5 
brush, try them all with a No. 7 brush, but rule your 
paper into 2 inch squares. You will now probably be 
able to make any letter in the following brush stroke 
alphabets with perfect ease, except the script capitals, 
which require much practice. Make your strokes ac- 
cording to the directions of the arrows, and when you 
have become thoroughly acquainted with the shapes of 
the letters you may change the order of strokes to suit 
your special talent, even though these directing arrows 
indicate the method of the acknowledged cleverest 
card-writer. There is no positive rule for lettering. 

SINGLE STROKE STUMP-WORK. 

The alphabet on the opposite page was lettered in 
five and one-half minutes with a No. 7 brush in i\ 
inch squares. This class of single stroke lettering is 
much used by dry goods stores in large cities, where 
cards are not only changed each day, but also often 
during the day. Consequently rapidity is very essentia!. 
Your paint should be somewhat heavy for this work; 
therefore if you use Letterine do not mix it with 
water. When vou make the letter H slant the side 



lines a trifle outward at the bottom. This hides many 
imperfections which in the square H are instantly 
noticeable. 

After using the No. 7 brush make the entire lesson 
with a No. 5 brush in 1 inch spaces, always keep- 
ing your brush filled with thick paint. Now with the 
No. 1 1 brush write the letters in 2 inch spaces, then 3 
inches high. This practice will make all of the fol- 
lowing brush-work comparatively easy. 



LOWER CASE STUMP-WORK, 



The lower case letters require much more time and 
care on account of the finish of the ends of the letters. 
This finish is accomplished as shown in the letter 1 
(see the end illustrations on the lower case plate, 
page 15). Learn also to make these with your vari- 
ous sized brushes. The single stroke numbers on 
page 16 are so simple that they require no explana- 
tion. The dollar sign in all the various alphabets may 
be made from one-half to two-thirds as tall as the 
numerals. The old-time theory that it must be ex- 
actly as tall as the numerals, because type fonts 
among printers are proportioned that way, was fif- 
teen years ago disputed by the author, and during 
the last ten years most card-writers have adopted his 
method. In setting advertisements printers also do it. 



12 



SINGLE STROKE CAPITALS. 



m 



B C D 




P G 



ttl J K 1 MN 
P © fit 




¥ W X Y 




T li 
tot. ? ! 



13 



BAUDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



To facilitate the completion of page 17 we have 
placed flat brush numbers before the corresponding 
alphabets. The student is requested to practice the 
alphabets before writing the numerals. 

WHITE PAINT. 

The most difficult of all paints to mix and apply 
properly is white. Next to black, white is most fre- 
quently used. After many years of experimenting 
I can assure you that the best white to use is Cremnitz 
white. It is a species of white lead and is a finer 
grade of flake white, which is almost as desirable and 
less expensive than the former. You can buy these 
paints either in distemper or dry. The best sizing 
to mix with it to obtain a pure white is mucilage 
made from gum arabic, instead of the common mu- 
cilage in ordinary use, although the latter may be 
used to good advantage for sizing all other colors. 
The dry white must be thoroughly mixed with the 
gum arabic and carefully thinned with a little water. 
The best way to use it is to prepare it as stated and 
to pour it into a small receptacle. When writing pour 
a little of it on a slab of glass or marble, frequently 
working it over with your palette knife. 

The next best white is dry zinc. If you buy this 
ask for zinc C. P. (chemically pure). It is also a 



poison, being made from the white fumes of the oxide 
of zinc. It is not as opaque as the other two whites, 
but can be used with good effect when the others are 
not available. 

White Letterine can also be used to good advan- 
tage, providing the fluid part is drained off and used 
instead of water for thinning the thick sediment in 
the bottle. I have used it entirely for two years for 
making designs on black backgrounds, both for 
brush and pen work, and thereby avoided much of 
the trouble encountered in mixing whites. 

CARDBOARD. 

The regular size of what is called a "full sheet" of 
cardboard, such as is used by show-card writers, is 22 
x 28 inches. If the writing is to be across its widest 
dimension, the card is called "landscape"; when the 
writing is up and down the narrow width, it is termed 
"upright." Half sheets are 11 x 28 inches. Quarter 
sheets measure 11 x 14 inches. Eighth sheets are cut 
7x11 inches. When quantities of smaller sizes than 
halves, quarters or eighths are wanted, the exact sizes 
should be stated, and firms that sell cardboard will cut 
it any size required, at trifling additional cost. It is 
not advisable to cut sheets by hand, as the edges are 
never as smooth as when cut with the card-cutter's <« 



14 



LOWER CASE STUMP-WORK. 



*■ 



aabbccddce f f j 
jk k I lmmnntopp 
q q rr sst tuuyyw 
wxxvvzz &c. ?!il 



15 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



knife. Cardboard used by the professional card-writer 
is generally "eight or ten ply" in thickness, which is 
thick enough for most purposes. Board can be ob- 
tained in various colors, usually colored on one side 
and natural white on the other side. Many cards are 
coated white on one side, others are coated white on 
both sides; others are natural pulp color, grayish white 
without any coating on either side. Cardboard in dark 
red, dark green, blue, maroon and light or dark gray 
and black can usually be found in ten ply, and with the 
exception of blue and maroon is the most often used. 
Tinted cardboard, used in connection with a colored 
mat which serves as a frame around it, is generally the 
same color on both sides, and can be had in various 
thicknesses — four, six and eight ply. The tinted eight 
ply card is mostly used by show-card writers, as thinner 
card is undesirable. It can be bought in about twenty 
different tints. The colors most in use are yellow, buff, 
azure, pearl, pea green, nile green, heliotrope, pink and 
salmon. The size of these sheets is always 22 x 28 
inches, and they are termed "full sheets." "Double fulls" 
can be had of some dealers in ten ply white card, in 
size 28 x 44 inches. This size is desirable for large 
signs, which should have no seams or joints. For 
larger card signs, several full sheets are joined by 
gluing strips of card across the seams on the reverse 
side. The front seams should meet evenly. 



What is used mostly as matboard for show-cards is 
an eight or ten ply card in gray, brown, dull green 
(called new green) and red. These, having unglazed 
surfaces, form an excellent contrast with the glazed 
surface of the inner cards. They can be had in full 
sheets, 22 x 28 inches. The mats are first cut and then 
glued on to the card and then the outer edge is beveled, 
showing a beautiful white slanted edge. Details of this 
will be found under "Mat Cutting." A cream white 
card for mat purposes is 'much in use, and is called 
"eggshell mat." Its outer surface is uneven, having 
the exact appearance of the outer surface of an ostrich's 
egg. This mat can be procured in sheets, 28 x 44 
inches. It can be bought only in few places, although 
it is always available. 

Black, waterproof and photographer's cardboard, 
usually very dark brown, is generally ten ply, and the 
same color and finish on both sides. This card is much 
used for signs in cigar and shoe stores, or where per- 
manency is desired. It has a glossy, hard surface, and 
white pen-work is easily accomplished on it. Such 
cards, with gold bevels, are neat and attractive. 

Another form of matboard which has been much in 
use until recently was twelve ply or fourteen ply in 
thickness, and its surface of green, red or brown was 
of coarse, uneven fibre. Heavy mats are now seldom 
used, being replaced by the ten ply card. 



16 



SINGLE STROKE AND FLAT STROKE NUMBERS. 




~^1 



X 



2 3 4 5 6 7 



» $ * 50 | 




12 3 4 5 6 7 

8 9 O $ t 



17 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



MOUNTING CARDBOARD ON FRAMES. 

Show-cards in half or whole sheets; to appear per- 
fectly flat and even and to stand wear, should be 
mounted on wooden frames called "strainers.'' For 
half sheets the frames are usually made of pine wood, 
\ x I inch. For whole sheets the wood is 2 inches 
wide and 1 inch thick. The frames should be neatly 
mitred at the corners, and fastened with a solid 
round wire nail. One side of the frame should be 
smeared with glue, which should be left exposed at 
least five minutes. Now run a thin layer of glue about 
one-half or one inch around the card, leaving it ex- 
posed to the air about five minutes ; then place it on 
the frame. The glue will have become tacky, and the 
card will readily stick. Take a clean rag and spread 
the card smoothly on the frame. The cardboard 
should first be moistened on the side which is to be 
glued down. Take a sponge or rag ; wet it so that it 
is thoroughly soaked ; gently squeeze out all the super- 
fluous water and moisten the entire back surface of the 
card. Ten to twenty frames can be piled one on top 
of the other in this way. Some heavy strips of 
iron, marble slabs, or boards on which any heavy ob- 
ject may be placed, may be put on the top frame, and 
should be left standing at least fifteen hours. The next 
day the cards will be found thoroughly glued on the 



frames, and their surfaces taut and smooth, but pos- 
sibly damp. To make them thoroughly dry, separate 
them and stand on edge, leaning them against the wall 
for a few hours. Of course this leaves the wooden 
edges of the frames exposed. Most show-card makers 
paint a narrow edge-line of color about half an inch 
from the edge of the card, and then paint the exposed 
wooden sides of the frame with any color, either in 
contrast with the outer card surface or to match it. 
The high class card artist, however, would not do this. 
He binds the edges with some kind of paper. (See the 
article entitled "Edging.") 

The card should be written and completed before the 
edging is glued on, as handling either soils or tears the 
edges. Soiled edging can be covered frequently, thus 
giving an old card the appearance of newness. 

ERASURES. 

If an error be made in spelling, and the card is 
white, take a steel ink eraser and carefully scrape off 
the lettering, removing a little at a time and keeping 
above the surface of the card. When all the color is 
removed, rub smooth with a piece of very fine sand- 
paper, then burnish the spot with your thumb-nail and 
write the word correctly. If the error is made on a 
tinted card, such as green, heliotrope, etc., the surface 



18 



BLOCK CAPITALS. 





Ji 









3' 






— f-» —4-* 





ABCDEFG 




H I JKLMN 



19 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



that has been erased must first be painted over with 
water color to match it as closely as possible — then re- 
letter. If the card has a glazed surface, waterproof, 
like black or maroon, it is only necessary to wet the let- 
tering and wipe it off with a damp rag. This may oc- 
cupy some time if the paint is dry, but the surface of 
the card will be ready to receive the correction. If an 
alteration is to be made on a black card with a dull 
surface, the lettering should be carefully scraped off 
and the card painted black where scraped, and relet- 
tered when thoroughly dry. It must be remembered 
that corrections on cards are more easily noticed than 
when made on paper, and should therefore be avoided. 
For removing pencil marks and dirt dip your sponge 
rubber into powdered pumice stone, using a slight 
quantity and considerable pressure while rubbing, ex- 
cept when gliding over the lettering. A rag or feather 
duster should then be used to free the card from dust. 

BLOCK LETTERS, "CAPITALS." 

Block letters should always be carefully outlined, so 
that after they are filled in the edges will be as nearly 
even as possible. I have purposely refrained from 
making a single correction of any imperfections in 
these designs, and the engravings show every stroke 
of the artist's brush without allowing the engraver to 



embellish any part of the work. Wherever there are 
coarse black lines the artist repeated his strokes. The 
blotches in the centre of letters, like A, B, D, E, L, U 
and V, were made to free the brush from surplus paint. 

The finished filled in letters underneath those out- 
lined offer an opportunity for comparison, which will 
prove valuable to the student. With a soft pencil first 
outline the letters, not making the marks too heavy. 
Make the lines according to the arrows and numbers. 
Leave the same i^ inch space between each letter on 
all sides. This will give you an opportunity to clearly 
see the comparative difference in their widths, and in 
this manner you will gradually know how wide to 
make them without taking any measurements. 

The untrained eye is very apt to be deceived. Look 
at the letter A in this alphabet. ' Would you have 
known, without measuring, that its widest part is wider 
than any portion of the letter R ? Certainly not ! I 
have for many years disputed the necessity of making 
the centre line of the H and the bottom of the letter 
L as long as is the present custom with nine out of ten 
card-writers. Must we therefore adhere to old set 
rules? 

PROPORTION. 

As a matter of fact, only a few letters in the alpha- 
bet are proportioned exactly alike, and it is difficult 



20 



BLOCK CAPITALS. 







d't 




«G^> 




OPQRSTU 



6 7 









<LA+ 



PJ 



8 ' J' 



□- 



YWXYZ ac?! 



21 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



to give a definite size for each. We can group them, 
however, so that the learner may approximate their 
relative sizes without being troubled with too many 
measurements. For show-card work, which should al- 
ways be done quickly, we merely rule lines for the 
height of the letters. The letter 1 being the narrowest 
in width, we can gauge the others approximately, 
using one inch as a basis for measurement. 
Comparative width of capitals — 
i inch — I. 

2 inches — J. 

2\ inches— E, F, H, L, N, P, S, T, U, V, Z. 
2i inches— A, B, C, D, G, K, O, Q, R, X, Y. 

3 inches — M. 
3} inches — W. 

Comparative width of lower case (small) letters — 

} inch — i, 1. 

I inch — j, r, s. 

I inch— f, t. 

I inch — a, b. c, d. e. g, h. k, n. o, p, q, u, v, x, y. 

I inch — w. 

1 inch — m. 
After you have written and filled in the first alpha- 
bet repeat the same work without any copy. Then 
correct your errors. In this way you will soon learn 
the exact shape of each letter and its proportions. 
You should practice each alphabet in this manner. 



SPACING. 

You should now try to write words, ruling only two 
lines for the height of the letters. Try the word "Cash- 
ier." Indicate the word in faint single stroke lead pencil 
marks, being sure to space the letters properly accord- 
ing to their widths, and then letter them with your 
brush. Examine some of the cards in the back part 
of this book. The examples will guide you in the as- 
sembling of letters. Now try two or three words on a 
line. Try words with both capitals and lower case 
letters. Xow we are ready to write a card. 

CENTERING. 

Before writing a card it must be laid out properly. 
You should allow as much margin as possible all 
around the card. The quickest method for ruling" mar- 
gins, centering the reading matter, is to hold the card 
slanting in your left hand, allowing the lower end to 
rest on the table. Hold your pencil far from its point- 
ed end tightly with the thumb and index finger, in a 
slanting position. Xow with your three other fingers 
outstretched in the same manner as for ruling with the 
brush, as shown on page 30, rest the ball of the little 
finger on the side, partly under the edge of the card, 
and the end of the second finger on top of the card. 





Jt^ 




WESTERN CAPITALS. 

A —J 

I 








ABCDEFO 









« 



H I J K LMN 



23 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



You will, of course, be obliged to bold the pencil al- 
most horizontally, so that your other fingers are at right 
angles with the edge of your card. Beginning at the 
lower end, draw the pencil toward you ; now rule the 
other three sides in the same manner, always holding 
your pencil tight and your fingers in the same posi- 
tions. This method of ruling will take one-tenth as 
long as if you first measured and then ruled the mar- 
gins, and can be learned quickly. You must learn to 
centre in this manner. 

You should not use much pressure against the edge 
of the cardboard while gliding the fingers along, as it 
may cut the finger like a knife. 

LAYING OUT. 

Rule lines across the centred space according to the 
height of the various letters, two lines for capitals and 
one line for lower case. Allow enough space between 
each running line (see some cards at the back of the 
book). If your card is dark and to be lettered in 
white, gold or color, rule the lines lightly with chalk ; 
otherwise use a pencil. 

All the reading matter on the card should now be 
indicated bv making the crudest kind of lines, so that 
you can tell what the letter is and note the spacing 
between the words. You can use chalk for this pur- 



pose on your dark cards. After your card is thor- 
oughly dry, rub out the chalk lines. If the lead pencil 
lines do not vanish, dip your sponge rubber into a 
little pumice stone powder, and you will soon have 
a clean card. 

The best layout for most cards is in straight lines. 
Use as few styles of letters as possible. Many cards 
look best by using all capitals, others are more effective 
when the principal words or top line only are "dis- 
played" in capitals. Avoid using curved lines. 

PAPER EDGING. 

A refined finished appearance can only be given to a 
card, when mounted on a frame, by binding the outer 
edges of the frame and the top of the card with paper. 
This is readily done by gluing on narrow strips of pa- 
per, which can be bought in innumerable varieties in 
long rolls or sheets, 22 x 28 inches, either with smooth 
glazed surfaces or embossed, including gold and silver 
effects, floral designs, or in imitation of all sorts of 
textures, veneers or marbles. 

These strips should be cut from 2 to 3 inches wide, 
according to the width of the edge required. On half 
sheets the edging on the top of the card is usually 
one-quarter of an inch wide, and on whole sheets it 
should be from three-eighths to one-half an inch wide. 



24 



WESTERN CAPITALS. 



-A -. 



-A, 



m iP" 





i A 




OPQR5TU 



-^*- <-. --S- -A _§> 



W W Tk 





f f - 



V WX YZ&c?! 



25 



IKiriDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



When the strips are cut, place about ten on top of each 
other on a sheet of newspaper. Have the side of the 
strips which are to receive the glue facing upward. 
Fill your glue brush thoroughly, removing surplus 
glue by stroking it against a sheet of paper as though 
you were painting a board. Now cover the back of 
the first strip evenly with glue and. beginning near the 
centre of any top edge of the frame (which must pro- 
ject over the edge of your work table), place one end 
of your strip on top of the card, the desired distance 
from the outer edge, holding the extreme end of the 
strip in the left-hand thumb and forefinger. The right- 
hand thumb must be stroked back and forth on the top 
of the strip. When firmly attached to the top, press 
the side of the right hand gently against the strip to 
the side of the frame, and the part of the strip that 
projects you must turn over to the back part of the 
frame, finally taking a dry rag and rubbing the edging 
smoothly on to the sides of the frame. When you reach 
the corner of the frame, hold the paper strip firmly to 
the side of the frame with the left hand, allowing it to 
project over the top without attempting to fasten it to 
the top of the card as you did in the beginning, until 
you first, with your right-hand thumb, make a diagonal 
crease at the corner of the frame ; then proceed to glue 
down the top and the sides as before. Edging may 
be of a contrasting- color or match the card. 



CUTTING CHALK. 

Cut the narrow end of the chalk into a sharp wedge 
shape. Dip about one-quarter inch of the point into 
water and withdraw it quickly. You will find that it 
will rule neat lines, which can be effaced readily by 
wiping with a rag and your sponge rubber after the let- 
tering is dry. The cardboard will not be injured. 

WRONG SLANT. 

If you find that your letters have the tendency to 
slant perversely from right to left when you wish them 
to appear upright, begin all your work by slanting the 
letters from left to right. Do this in all of your prac- 
tice work for three or four weeks. You will then find 
that your lettering will be almost perpendicular, as it 
should be, whenever you try to make it so. The re- 
verse method should be practiced when the letters 
have a tendency to slant from right to left. 

GREASE SPOTS. 

At times cardboard becomes greasy from the per- 
spiration of the writer's hand, or otherwise. Water 
color will not "catch on" at such spots, but will be 
streaky. Several methods are employed to overcome 



26 








WESTERN LOWER CASE. 






kA 



'- J- 





a b c d e f ^ 

I isi -it 



o 



i 







h i j k 1 m n 



27 



this. Mix a thimbleful of bicarbonate of soda in a 
tablespoonful of water, wipe some of this over the 
greasy surface, then repaint. Others use soap water 
for mixing the color. One or two drops of ox gall 
mixed into the color is another preventive. The last 
method is somewhat objectionable, as the ox gall has 
what is considered a decidedly offensive odor. 

CIRCLES. 

The professional card-writer has a large wooden 
compass that can outline a circle 2 feet in circumfer- 
ence. Amateurs can use various sized plates, glasses, 
butter dishes and coins, and then follow the pencil 
marks with a brush, making the lines with fine or 
coarse brush, but going over once only. For small 
circles a compass having a drawing pen on one side 
is used. For large circles I always use a large pin or 
wire nail, piercing the card and fastening it to table, 
then loosen the card so that it will revolve readily on 
the pin. Then fasten a piece of fine twine or thread 
on the pin, and make a slip knot at the other end, pass- 
ing your brush handle through it. Now dip the brush 
into your color, and, while holding the twine taut, twirl 
your card from right to left and hold your brush al- 
most upright in one position, while resting as much of 
its point, according to the width of the line required. 



DAT IDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 

RULING EDGE-LINES. 



Our illustration is an exact representation of the 
position of the right hand while ruling edge-lines with 




Fig. 



a brush. Holding the brush slightly forward in an 
almost perpendicular position, rest the ball of the 
first joint of the little finger against the side of the 
cardboard, so that the ball of the second finger rests 
on the top edge of the card, the third finger setting 



28 



w> 





WESTERN LOWER CASE. 




W 







>\ 9 




M> *W1m 




o p q r 3 t y 



*^ 7' 



V W X u z. 



29 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



tightly against the second. The thumb and index 
finger grasp the brush in the position indicated, so 
that the handle of the brush is at right angles with 
the upper end of the second joint of the index finger. 
Raising the upper end of the card with the left hand 
at an angle of about 45 degrees, and resting the lower 
end on your table, draw your brush rapidly along the 
edge of the card at any distance required from its ex- 
treme outer edge. This process is repeated on all 
four sides. When no paper edging is used on a card 
which is mounted on a frame, a broad end line is often 
ruled on the edge with a wide brush, or a thin line 
ruled and the space to the outer edge filled in. 

RULING ACROSS CARDS. 

To rule lines on a card, to underline certain words, 
or to draw one or two lines across the top, bottom 
and sides of 'a word, requires some practice before it 
can be properly executed. Taking an ordinary 
straightedge or wooden ruler, rest its right lower end 
firmly on your card, placing the two fingers of your 
left hand under its left end, grasping the ruler firmly 
with the thumb, holding it in such a position that the 
entire inner upper end is completely raised from the 
table. Proceed to rule lines in the same manner as 
explained above, excepting that the ball of the second 



finger rests firmly against the side of the ruler and the 
ball of the third finger rests flat on the top of it. 

When the panels to be drawn are small, use a draw- 
ing pen. It is usually desirable to make the inner 
line heavy and the outer line lighter. With a brush 
this requires more pressure in the first instance, and a 
lighter touch for the finer line. For a drawing pen 
the width of a line can be gauged by tightening or 
loosening the small set screw affixed to the side of 
each pen. These are mostly used on small cards. 

FLAT STROKE LETTERS. 

Before making the letters on page 33, I would urge 
you to take one of your No. 1 stub pens, placed in an 
ordinary penholder, holding it exactly as you would if 
you were about to write back-handed in the same posi- 
tion as shown in Fig. 5. "flat stroke pose." Hold 
the dry pen over the copy in this book. Try the let- 
ter C first, allowing every part of your pen point to 
touch the paper with each stroke, no matter how thjn 
or broad the line may be. The strokes must follow 
in the order of the numbers on the copy and be writ- 
ten according to the position of the arrows. Now try 
letters O, I, E, L and all the others. Use no pressure 
on the pen whatever. You are merely doing this to 
learn how to hold the brush for flat-stroke work and 



30 




>i^3* 



BLOCK NUMBERS. 




J i > 





-^^ 



a/*- 





12 3 4 5 6 7 




.-"< - 




1^* V0fr Wi* 




•*C?pf>' 



d* 




S 9 O $ $ 



31 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



to become acquainted with the formation of the let- 
ters; then you will have gained enough practice to 
make the brush-work a simple matter. After you 
make the capitals write the lower case letters. In the 
beginning, until you are thoroughly accustomed to 




Fig. 5. 

use the brush, I would advise you to stroke and flat- 
ten it on your color mixing paper after every second 
stroke, working the color into your brush and re- 
moving the surplus by stroking it several times on 
each side as you draw it toward you. This flat stroke 



letter is a simplified form of the Old English and 
modern Bradley series of type so much in vogue in 
recent years; You should make all of the letters, 
both upper and lower case, with a No. 7 and also 
No. 1 1 brush, and then procure a flat brush from 
three-eighths to one-half inch wide and write the 
alphabets with it. You will be greatly astonished 
and pleased when you see how quickly and beauti- 
fully vou can write the large letters and what a time 
saver the flat brush is. 

On page 37 you will see the flat brush numbers, 
which you can now make with ease. The two lower 
lines are numbers made by first using a flat brush 
and then finishing with a music pen. Strokes Nos. 
2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on the No. 1. the pointed last stroke 
on the No. 2, the dots on No. 3, the fine lines on No. 
4. the dots on Nos. 5, 6 and 9, the fine lines on Nos. 
7 and 8, and the dollar sign show how the brush and 
pen jointly make a neatly finished numeral. Much time 
is often saved by making letters in this manner. 

PEN-WORK. 

Stub pens can be obtained in many sizes, as shown 
on the following page. Before using the pen for show- 
card work a trifle of its hardness must be removed, 
and though the process is very simple it must be care- 



32 



o 



M 

iX 



FLAT STROKE CAPITALS. 










3 




•? 






3 





W X M 




« 






«? 





ft 






w 



33 



fully done or the pen will become too soft. Place 
your pen'in the holder, light an ordinary match, allow 
it to burn with a large flame, hold the front half of 
your pen into the flame three seconds and then 
quickly clip it into water; after this into your color. 

For show-card pen-work no mixture can give 
you the same satisfactory results as Letterine. It 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 

SLANT PEN-WORK. 



\J 



costs one-fifth as much as the costly inks sold in 25 
cent bottles and it dries in one-third the time, be- 
sides drying with a gloss. The India ink and water- 
proof colors are excellent for the purpose for which 
they are intended and cannot be replaced by Let- 
terine on architectural or mechanical drawings or 
maps, because such lettering should be waterproof, 
besides wear-resisting in folding and rolling up. 



Prepare your Letterine as instructed on page 6 and 
begin practice on the lower case slant letters on page 




Fig. 6. 

39. After each large stroke dip your pen into the 
fluid, gently shaking off the surplus color, and then 
proceed to write exactly as for flat brush work, hold- 
ing the pen in the same way as illustrated. You 
must use considerable pressure when you make the 



34 



FLAT STROKE LOWER CASE. 







ity 







o 



i 



1 



k 




J 



«j 




«* 



i 



■a # 




w 



V w M it 




sr 




A & 



Si. 




lit 



c 





T* 



* 




35 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



broad lines. You will soon learn how to graduate 
the pressure just as you do on any ordinary pen, ex- 
cept that, there being less elasticity in these stub pens, 
you must bear down on them more forcibly. Occa- 
sionally dip your pen into water and wipe off with a 
rag to keep it from becoming clogged. Now write 
the capitals, which you will readily learn with a little 
practice. The numerals on page 41 will quickly be 
mastered. 

UPRIGHT LOWER CASE AND CAPITAL 
PEN-WORK. 

These letters are the plainest, the most beautiful and 
the most difficult of all pen letters. When assembled 
in words and perfectly written they present a refined 
and attractive card. The learner should first write 
them by finishing all the angles with a music pen, as 
much difficulty will be experienced in the beginning 
in doing this with the stub pen. In the capitals it 
will be noticed that the letters H and M are wider 
at the base than at the top. The last two strokes 
on the stump- work chart (page 15) and the last 
stroke on page 47 show the manner of constructing 
the little angles. If you do not use a music pen you 
will be obliged to use only one end of your flat pen 
while making the points on the lower left of the capi- 
tal A, upper left of K. N, T : V, W and Y. For prac- 



ticing the capital letters try a 1 inch space with a No 
1 stub pen. For lower case use half inch spaces. 

SHADING PENS. 

Justice demands that I mention shadir.^ pens, 
which, however, in the East are now entirely dis- 
carded by card-writers. These pens range in width 
from one-eighth to one inch. They have two sides, 
which form the point. The ink is put in the space 
formed by the sides, just as you do in filling a draw- 
ing pen. Letterine is the best ink to use. 

DRAWING PENS. 

There are several styles of drawing pens in use. 
Some come in sets requiring a different pen for each 
size line. ( Hhers hold a considerable quantity of paint 
or fluid and are intended more for heavy line work, 
and for general use. Drawing pens can be purchased 
for 25 cents each, and employed simply for producing 
lines of different widths. The thickness of the line is 
regulated by a thumbscrew at the side of the pen. 
Thev are also made so as to fit into a compass for 
drawing circles. The ticket writer should have one. 
as it will be useful in drawing border lines on small 
cards and for other purposes. Most amateurs make 



36 



FLAT STROKE AND BRUSH AND PEN NUMBERS. 



J 








7 







w 



3^ 



{J? 



ft 



11^2 33 1415667 

7S898C0s#cc^ 



37 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTEKER. 



the mistake of dipping these pens into the paint. This 
should never be done. Fill about one-quarter of the 
inner space of the pen by using your paint brush. Do 
not overload the pen, as it will overflow and ruin your 
line. Any kind of paint, including bronze, may be 
used. Always wash out the pen thoroughly when 
finished and dry it with a rag. The side screw should 
be removed and dried; otherwise it will rust. The 
screw should be loosened when the pen is laid away. 
When using white paint or Letterine the pen is apt to 
become clogged. It should occasionally be rinsed 
in water or wiped with a damp sponge and refilled. 
The white paint should be thinned and carefully mixed 
before using in a drawing pen. 

BRUSH SCRIPT. 

Brush script letters are mostly used on show-cards 
when they are larger than any letters that can be 
made with the stub pens. Very few card-writers can 
do this work with any degree of perfection until they 
have had much practice; but, this art once acquired, 
these letters in combination with script scrolls as illus- 
trated on page 87, present a work of beauty. On page 
5 1 will be found excellent examples of brush-script. 
The rapidity with which they were formed in no man- 
ner mars their beauty nor the symmetry of the slant. 



BRUSH SCRIPT LOWER CASE. 

The lower case letters are. comparatively easy to 
write. The brush should be held exactly as in Fig. 3, 
page 11, the little finger resting very lightly on the 
paper. A glance at the outlines on the lower case let- 
ters, pages 45 and 46, will reveal the delicacy and ra- 
pidity of the brifsh strokes. The curved strokes on the 
s, g and y can only be written properly if done rapidly. 

BRUSH SCRIPT CAPITALS. 

The more simple forms of script, when writing cap- 
itals with a brush, look too primitive on a show-card, 
and those with curved lines, as shown on pages 49 and 
50, are needed to form a suitable contrast with the 
lower case letters. The larger you practice these let- 
ters the more readily you can write them. Make 3 inch 
squares for your first practice, and write the letters at 
first with a lead pencil, being sure to write them entire- 
ly free hand, and resting on your pencil point so 
lightly that the pencil marks can scarcely be seen after 
you have made the letter. Now take your No. 5 
brush and practice outlining the letter F. Stroke 1, 
from A to B, gives you the stem-stroke for many 
other letters. Stroke 3, from C to D, teaches you an- 
other important sweep of the brush which is also part 



38 



'/ 




nf. 



k 



fp 



b c 



d 




SLANT LOWER CASE, PEN-WORK. 

fW 



1 J 



& 





<e 



t 



ft 





//Pi ft 



f* # i 




V 



iW 




fr 



^ 




//A 



3F 




v cc 



39 



SLANT CAPITALS, PEN-IVORK. 
















40 



STAXDAIW UPRIGHT NUMBERS, PEN-WORK. 



1 











T 









% 





l 2 3 4 5 6 7 



890$ *«&A/fc 



41 



a 



UPRIGHT LOWER CASE, PEN -WORK. 

b c d e f 




hi j k 1 m 



n 



>• 



o p q r s t y 



V W X U ZMMA 



UPRIGHT CAPITALS, PEN-WORK. 



ABC D^fG 
H I J K L iH N 
09 Qft ST U 
VW X Y Z&c.iSi 



43 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



of many of the other letters. Arm and finger move- 
ments, with the lightest possible touch of your fingers 
on the paper and on your brush point, are what you 
must practice. When you can do this — and it will take 
you some time — then make every letter entirely free- 



hand. Do the same with vour No. 



and No. n 



brush. When using the latter, make your letters 6 
inches high. To properly guide you in writing the 
more intricate letters, we will mention the order of the 
strokes : 

Letter A — i, from A down and around to B. Now 
stroke 2 to shade it. Stroke 3 (not numbered) from 
A to C. Stroke 4 down and around to D. Stroke 5, to 
complete the letter, should be made in one stroke, with 
pressure on the brush at the thick part. This stroke 
should be practiced separately. It resembles the first 
stroke on letter N. 

Letter B — Begin at A, stroke 1 down and around to 
B. Stroke 2, from A to C. Stroke 3, beginning at D, 
with slightly intensified pressure at the start, then light- 
ly down and around the top, making your loop, swing- 
ing down and around. Strokes 4 and 5. to shade the 
two loops, and stroke 6 from A to the right, and then 
the inner lower loop (not marked on copy) of stroke 1. 

Letter C — From A down and around to I!. Stroke 2 
From A to the right to C. Stroke 3 to finish of stroke 
2. Stroke 4 from E down. Stroke 5. A to D. 



Letter D — Stroke 1, from A down to the right, form- 
ing the loop to the left, around to the right upward, 
then forming the curve to the top left to B. Stroke 2, 
from A to C. Stroke 3, from A to the right. Stroke 
4 (not noted) to fill the right hand curve from A down. 

The central heavy strokes showing in the letters B 
and D were left as the artist made them, but they were 
made in error, making the central stroke too thin at 
first. 

Letter E — Begin at A, follow the outside stroke 1, 
to B. Stroke 2, from B to the inner loop, then strokes 
3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 where indicated. The upper E loop 
requires much practice. 

The small ring loop on the top of the letter (i 
can then be more readily learned. The first stroke 
of letters H, I, J, K, V and \Y is practically the 
same. The loop on the letter K begins at E, 
stroke 5 down and around the loop, down again 
and around to F. Letter P begins at A, stroke 1 down 
and around, making the loop to B. Stroke 2 from C 
down, around, passing A to D. Letter begins at 
A, to the left down and around to E. Letter S, stroke 
1 from A to B in its centre. Stroke 2 (not noted 1. 
complete the centre dot by a down stroke. Letter Y 
begins at A. continuing the curve to the right, then 
down and up to B : stroke 2 shades the curve. Stroke 
3, from B to the left in one quick sweep, then curve to 



44 



M 



MU 




k 



6 ~*> 



m 



BRUSH SCRIPT, LOWER CASE. 






' -'z 



ms- 





abed &Qf(Q# 






i 






Wwut/ 



9>r^r- 




I 



J 



k t 



nv rv 



45 



BRUSH SCRIPT, LOWER CASE. 




M 



f& 





r 






<y p q r 




t 




-jT 



M 




m 



m> 



aM 




*(&^? 



>»L a. j 




' " * 



V W X w .s o c^ 



46 



BRUSH SCRIPT, NUMBERS. 






4.1 








..A 




>C 



I 2 3 4 5 6 7 



.A - - 




.-,'/». 




^ # 




4fflh ^ 



'^' 



r i 



8 9 T O 





& 



47 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTEKER. 



C. Stroke 4 from B down to D. Letter Z, stroke 1, 
from A to B; stroke 2, from B down and forming the 
little loop at the left, then clown and around with a 
snappy, quick curve to C. The & is begun at A, 
stroke I, up, passing C and down to B; stroke 2, C 
to D; then shade upper loop, stroke 3; stroke 4, from 
E down and up to F. Practice thoroughly. 

SHADING. 

Examples of shaded letters are beautifully illus- 
trated on pages 51, 52 and 53. This work is all done 
with rial brush strokes. It should be accomplished 
quickly. The various letters offer excellent examples 
for practice, and the student is requested to study 
them ali carefully. When you shade letters have your 
paint easv flowing. If you use white paint do not 
feel uneasy because it looks faint when you shade at 
first, because it will dry out much whiter and should 
be used very thin on tinted cards. If you shade in 
gold be careful to constantly mix it and do not apply 
too thick with your brush. Shading in two colors is 
sometimes desirable, but the use of several colors is 
only in practice among grocers and tea stores, but I 
would not sanction it. Very narrow letters, if shaded 
with a half-inch wide brush, often present a highly 
attractive appearance. Slant letters can be shaded 



to good advantage. Letters that are crooked or 
poorlv written do not show their imperfections if the 
imperfect lines are not shaded exactly parallel. 

The shading may appear on the right arid upper 
ends if desired. Other methods, seldom used, make 
letters appear as though falling forward or backward. 

LETTERING MIRRORS WITH SOAP. 

Cut a strip of fresh common brown soap about 2\ 
inches by 1 inch. Cut it from two opposite sides into a 
wedge-shaped point, leaving the edge one-eighth inch 
thick. Your mirror should be perfectly clean. You 
can use the soap exactly as you would a flat brush, 
but of course must use more pressure. 

EDGE-LINES ON TICKETS. 

If you wish to place edge-lines one-sixteenth to one- 
quarter inch thick on small price tickets, running them 
to the extreme edge, proceed as follows: Hold your 
card in the left hand, placing its edge flat on a piece of 
smooth card, or. better still, a piece of glass. Put a 
liberal quantity of color or bronze on your brush. 
Now glide your brush quickly along the glass, re^tini; 
it also against the surface of the card. Your lines will 
be smooth and of uniform width with a little practice. 



48 



BRUSH SCRIPT, CAPITALS. 




&L<meg? &<§r, 






o7 ^sk^mj' 



49 




C' 




BRUSH SCRIPT, CAPITALS. 

* 




C\TO^S^4( 



W W>.°k 



'??; 



••^r, tf 




J1R m 






f* ■■ 



c Tw9C& 



qr 



V_ 



&~ ? / 






SHADED S( Kir I 



/' 




/> 




}9!iii 


WJL 


*Mm 


^Mi?\ 


li c(ii 


c < s n 


/ &l 


OJJ 


M 


&Et§ 


7 l «~it 


'M 


(JILL 


r '/'EL 


* 

JLIJiJti 


W 



51 



SHADED BLOCK LETTERS. 




52 



SHADED ROM AX. 



A B C D E F G 


HIJKLMN 


O P Q R S T U 


V WX Y Z & * 



53 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTEKER. 



PRICE TICKETS. 

The numerous illustrations of price tickets, begin- 
ning on page 71, offer to the student ample oppor- 
tunity for studying designs of tickets as well as pen 
and brush lettering. 

The colors of the designs from which these photo- 
engravings were made are mentioned in detail. These 
may, of course, be changed to suit the fancy of the 
maker. 

The actual sizes are just double the dimensions 
illustrated. Xo. 204. white with beveled edges; 205 
and 216, white with gold bevel, and gold double 
edge-line ; 206, white circle on fancy blue card with 
bevel edge; 207, gold edge, white card; 217, gold 
edge, black card, raised embossed gold centre: 208, 
dark gray mat on light gray card, beveled edges; 209, 
218 and 246, plain white with gold bevel; 210, egg- 
shell mat, with fancy gold bevel edge, embossed gold 
ornaments, green centre; 21 1 and 229, white and black- 
hat tickets, with embossed gold circles; 212. pink 
shield, glued on green shield; 213, shoe ticket, white 
mat, fancy gold edge, gold ornaments, black centre; 
214, olive green suit ticket; 219, gray card, with col- 
ored painted floral spray; 220, heliotrope shoe ticket; 
237, 238, 239, 255, 256, 257, 258 and 259 have shaded 
backgrounds made by using an air brush. This de- 



vice costs at least $30. A similar but coarser effect 
can be obtained by using an atomizer. First cut out 
from a light piece of card the shape to be left blank. 
Place this pattern flat on the cardboard, putting a 
weight oil the pattern. Spray the card all over, then 
remove the pattern. The card will soon be dry, and 
it may then be lettered. ( hi Xos. 238 and 255 the 
dark lines are gold ; 257 has a gold embossed eagle 
glued on centre; 239 has a colored floral spray; 240 
has a fancy edge, colored in red in the centres and 
blue on the ends; 241 has a glazed white surface and 
deep gold bevel edge; 242, brown linen; 243, light 
oak on dark oak panel, having wide bevel; 249, green 
linen on dark green panel, with white bevel; 244, 
blue star; 247, hat or shoe ticket; 248, oval cut-out; 
250, fancy gold bevel shoe ticket; 251, white glazed, 
with gold bevel and gold arrow. The 10 on the arrow 
is painted black, and when dry receives a painted 
white edge-line. Xo. 221 is a light green eggshell mat, 
with fancy gold edge and embossed gold ornaments, 
mat glued on purple beveled card; 222, heliotrope 
shoe ticket, with gold embossed frame; 223, imitation 
light oak card, with bevel edge; 224, imitation burlap 
gray; 245. blue, with bevel edges; 225 and 227. black 
waterproof, with bevel edges; 226, white mat, with 
fancy gold edge and embossed gold ornaments, glued 
on a white beveled gray card having a white paper cen- 



54 



PRICE TICKETS. 




55 



PRICE TICKETS. 




5fi 



PRICE TICKETS. 




D.ir/DS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



tre; 228, white mat, with fancy gold edge, mounted on 
imitation light oak panel; 230, white card, gold bevel, 
rococo gold scrolls; 231, green hat ticket; 232 and 
2 35- gold embossed hat tickets; 233 and 234, shoe 
tickets; 236, green linen, with white bevel. These 
hat tickets have very thin strips of card glued on the 
centre of the back. The glue is only put on one 
end. so that the strip can readily be slipped into the 
hatband and the ticket project in front of the band. 
252 and 253 are linen panels, with heavy white panels 
and new art designs. The flowers and stems are first 
painted, then outlined in black. No. 254 is a dark gray- 
card, having a miniature wooden hatchet glued on. 
The top of the hatchet is painted red and silver. 

Figs. 200 and 201, on page 83, are embossed card 
designs, having scroll-work and escutcheons in silver, 
the centre background in black or colors and the let- 
tering in white or gold. Fig. 202 is a dark green, 
white beveled panel. Fig. 203 can be made in any 
size, but requires a knowledge of figure painting. 



your card, and then in as few words as possible write 
your "catch word" underneath it in bold letters, and 
the rest of your reading, without using too many- 
words in smaller letters. I will give a few examples, 
which are simple and I believe original. Take a piece 
of chalk. Under it write: "Chalk it Down — cur prices 
are the lowest." A screw — under it write "A Good 
Many Turns in this business have taught us how to 
please you." A large nail — write under it "We Xail 
the Prices Low in this store. ( hie price to all." A 
small doll — write under it "For the Little Ones 
we are showing new styles. See them." Under a 
penny tin whistle write "There's Harmony in our 
qualities and prices." Under a stick of wood write 
"Stick to Us — and you will never get stuck." A toy 
rooster: "Be the Cock of the Walk — wear our stylish 
(mention the brand) liat." A Row of Pins — "We Can 
Give You Pointers in fashions and low prices." 

SHOW-CARD TALK. 



SUBJECT CARDS. 

Window cards that always attract attention are those 
known as subject cards. They can be made with or 
without mats, to please your own fancy. Take any 
small object and by means of wire or glue attach it to 



The most desirable style of card suitable for any 
line of business is white with black lettering. Ample 
white space around the lettering, proper spacing of 
the words and correct display with neat execution 
make this a card of excellence. The display lines 
shaded in gold, gray, drab or pearl are the next step 



53 



PRICE TICKETS. 




59 



PRICE TICKETS. 




60 



PRICE TICKETS. 




61 



PRICE TICKETS. 




62 



PRICE TICKETS. 




BlNGER. N.y. 



63 



EMBOSSED CARDS. 




64 



A CUT-OUT. 




DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



from simplicity and still within refinement. With the 
exception of vermillion or turkey red. white and the 
colors mentioned, there is no reason for using any 
other colors on show-cards unless you write what 
may be termed a monotone card, using only one 
color, like green, brown, yellow, etc., for lettering the 
entire card on white. The color effects should be 
created by the use of various colored cards, but the 
paint need be only white or black or combined. 

Plain gold letters on white cards are very pretty. It 
you make a block letter in gold and shade it with drab 
or black you have a neat combination of color. 
Painting a narrow edge-line around letters enhances 
their beauty, but takes time. 

An odd but pretty card is a drab background with 
a turkey red initial edge-lined white and the letters 
all white. Dark green lettered white and gold; light 
green lettered black, shaded white; gray lettered 
white, shaded gold; blue (seldom used) lettered white, 
shaded black; red lettered white, shaded gold; and red 
lettered black, shaded white, are good combinations. 

CUT-OUTS. 

When a quantity of cards is to be written, whether 
small price tickets or full sheets, the card-writer makes 
a cut-out. This method is illustrated in Figs. G and H 



on page 05. The sample card H being written, another 
card of the same size is taken, and lines are ruled on 
tissue or transfer paper to represent the exact posi- 
tion of the words on the original card H and pasted 
on it. The spaces showing the position of words or let- 
ters are then cut out with a sharp knife. By placing 
the cut-out over the other cards to be written, and 
using a soft pencil, the spaces cut out are traced read- 
ily and quickly, and the card-writer is certain that all 
of the words will appear in the same position on all 
of the cards, besides being also the same height. The 
lead pencil marks are erased with a sponge rubber 
after the card that has been written is dry. These 
lead pencil marks are purposely left on our designs in 
order to guide the learner. Under the cut-out (G) 
there is pasted a dark background to more clearly em- 
phasize the spaces cut in the card. On page 67, Fig. A, 
is another cut-out for a trouser card. Three pens of 
different size were used to write the card. The num- 
ber 5 was made with a brush. Fig. C is a cut-out for a 
small price ticket D. 

On page 67 Fig'. A shows another method of prepar- 
ing a cut-out for the trousers ticket Fig. B ; a card( Fig. 
A) is first centred, then crudely written in lead pencil, 
having all the characters shown on Fig. B. The 
words are then all cut out as shown on Fig. A. The 
cards to be written are then, one at a time, placed un- 



66 



CUT-OUTS AND STENCIL. 




67 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



der the cut-out Fig. A and the lead pencil lines, which 
can be seen on our photo-engraving Fig. B, are 
traced. The writer then finds no difficulty in having 
his words all uniform on the duplicates. Three sizes 
of pens were used to write Fig. B. The 5 was made 
with a brush. Cut-out Fig. C was made in the same 
manner, for the price ticket Fig. D. 

STENCILS. 

When large quantities of hand-painted cards are de- 
sired, the larger letters and designs are usually sten- 
ciled and then filled in by hand. Stencils are made as 
follows : The sample card being first made, some trac- 
ing paper is laid over it and the letters desired are 
traced. This paper is then pasted on a sheet of strong 
manila paper. Then, with a very sharp knife-point, 
the letters are partly cut out, as shown in Fig. E. page 
65. This can be best done by laying the paper on a 
sheet of cardboard and cutting clean through the paper 
slightly into the card, thereby avoiding burr edges, 
which are sure to appear if the knife be dull or the 
surface under the stencil paper be uneven. The entire 
stencil should receive a thin coat of shellac, not for- 
getting the inner edges where the cut-out has been 
made. This will make it durable, preventing the color 
from soaking into the paper and the stencil brush from 



injuring the surface, which otherwise would, after 
some use, absorb much color and cause blurred lines. 

A wide round brush, with short bristles, is usually 
the kind required fur this work. When a paper stencil 
is used the color is spread only on the outer surface of 
the brush by rubbing it perpendicularly across some 
smooth surface, then holding the stencil firmly in posi- 
tion with thumb-tacks, or with weights if it be large, 
or with the left hand when small. The brush is tapped 
gently up and down against the stencil, and its work is 
done. It leaves a neat faint or dark impression, ac- 
cording to the amount and tint of the color applied ; 
besides this, it places the design or letters in the exact 
position on all of the cards. 

Fig. F shows a card made with stencil E. After 
the stencil brush is used all the letters are outlined with 
a small brush, then filled in. 

When large stencils are cut and there are many 
narrow spaces uncut, like those in the top of the A, C, 
T, and bottom of C and L, it is advisable to cut nar- 
rower strips of paper and to strengthen these weak 
parts by fastening on these strips with glue or shellac. 

FLORAL CARDS. 

Artificial flowers, especially violets, are highly dec- 
orative, and can be used to good advantage in making 



68 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 




ARNOLD BINGER, 
The World Renowned Snow-Card artist. 



Proprietor of 



THE LARGEST SHOW- 
CARD ESTABLISHMENT 
IN THE UNITED STATES. 

70.1 and 705 Broadway, New York. 



69 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL' LETTERER. 



price tickets or window cards. Glueing one violet 
without a steam in each corner is in itself a pretty deco- 
ration. Two or three violets with stems and one leaf, 
fastened in one corner of the card by piercing two 
holes and fastening the stems and leaf stem with a thin 
wire, make an agreeable appearance. 

FANCY SHOW-CARDS. 

The horseshoe design on page 71 is easily con- 
structed. On a full sheet of tinted cardboard mark 
the shape of the horseshoe and cut it out. Letter it 
in black, shade in white, allowing both to dry thor- 
oughly. With some thinly diluted glue trace the out- 
lines where indicated, and apply at once a liberal 
quantity of "flitter." The bunches of violets, which can 
be bought at a trifling cost, are attached by making 
two holes through the cardboard and fastening with 
thin wire by twisting the ends on the back. To pre- 
vent the card from sagging a frame of wood is glued 
across its back before the card is lettered, one piece 
running across the top and one piece along each side. 

The Satisfaction card on page 73 is illustrated for 
the purpose of showing the method employed in "cen- 
tering" and assembling pen-work. This card is in- 
tended to be placed at the cashier's desk, to be read 
by the customer while waiting for change. I believe 



that cards with much wording are generally undesir- 
able. This card is lettered in black on a white 
ground, having a double-lined golden border and 
brass embossed cornerpieces. You will at once notice 
the irregularity of the words "earnestly requested." 
This is to illustrate the marring effect of careless let- 
tering and poor spacing. 

The Santa Claus sign on page 71 has a dark green 
background with Santa Claus painted in glowing 
hues. The lettering is in white shaded in gold (which 
the camera here reproduced in black), and the scroll- 
work, which is faintly discernible, is carried out in 
silver "flitter." The panel enclosing the lettering is 
very simple in design but decidedly effective. 

The Holly sign on page 71 shows a spray of holly 
which can be attached by using an artificial spray, or 
can be designed in colors. The lettering is in gold on 
a green tinted background. The scroll-work is in 
green "flitter." The letters are excellent examples of 
perfect brush-work. 

The large Christmas sign on page 72 has a dark- 
red background with a green linen centre panel, let- 
tered in black and white and ornamented with gold 
"flitter." The elliptical panel is dark green, having 
in its centre a dark red panel ornamented with silver 
"flitter" which also extends to the sides of the lower 
card. The edge-line is of white paper. 



70 






HOLIDAY CARDS. 





. 



Here are 

Acceptable 

Presents 

I or G e i> I I c inoiA ! 



wmmaaemt 




71 



HOLIDAY CARDS. 





72 



BRUSH AND PEN-WORK. 




<■»->•» < v Jt»- 



-**< 




-nn>-» e*^>r— 



73 




Satisfaction 

is a ejood t/u/iq and worth aoina a qrrem ' tvqt/ for. 
Satisfaction is cjettisig avhat t/ou want;- 5^ the I 

a/'tictcs i/<>tt have purrh.ased do not proue 
cuiv/'eti/ Sau'sfaeiori/ as represented a c/ia/ice 
to //urA-c it r/<.//it is eamesttj/ /Ocnicsitoct 
<y/?e/v is' /io reczson us/it/ a customer s;/ioi/ict 
ever be tost , // the customer u/iu ' onit/ sec 
thcxt he jacts what he ioa/its;£7t 'can 6e qriuen as 
easitx/ as not:; and noiAi/tq is a//// 6ot/ier to us 
if it results in 

Satisfaction. 




DAVIDS- PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



The Easter card on page 72 is a heliotrope tinted 
card on a dark green background, having a white 
paper edging. The design of the egg is formed by 
cutting out an oval, laying it over the heliotrope card 
and spraying the outer edges with an atomizer. On the 
sprayed surface are designed beautiful Easter lilies. 
The lettering on the egg is in black-, shaded in white. 



SCROLLS AND PANELS. 

To more clearly indicate the brush strokes in the 
construction of the scrolls we have engraved them 
on a black background. It will interest the student 
and all professionals to see the wonderful versatility 
of our artist and to learn that every line on these 
plates was executed with a brush and, with the few 
exceptions mentioned, free hand. It is advisable at 
the beginning to use a drawing pen for all straight 
lines, which will then be of uniform thickness, and, 
guided by the edge of the ruler, they will be exactly 
straight. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 were constructed free 
hand with a Xo. 7 brush. Figs. 4, 5. 6 and 7 are 
drawn from shapes cut from paper. Fold a sheet of 
paper; draw on the right side of the crease one-half 
of the design ; then cut out the double folded pat- 
tern with a scissors. Mark out the pattern by lay- 
ing it flat on your card, using a pencil. Such pat- 



terns can be used for small price tickets, trademark 
panels, initial centres or, when mortised after having 
your photo-engraving made with black lines, can ac- 
commodate any kind of type. These panels, cut from 
thin card, can also be used to advantage for spray 
or spatter work in any size desired. 

ATOMIZERS. 

Atomizers used for spraying designs as shown on 
pages 60 and 62 can be bought in any artists' supply 
store. One kind is operated by applying one end to 
the mouth and blowing steadily through the tube, 
which meets another at right angles. One end of the 
latter extends into the bottle holding the spraying 
liquid. 

Another kind has a rubber bulb which is pressed 
in the same manner as with perfume sprays. You 
should place a large sheet of paper on your table to 
prevent it from being stained. The atomizer should 
be held at a distance of from 6 inches to 1 foot from 
the card. A little practice will enable you to show 
light and dark tints as desired. Professional card 
writers use an air brush to do this kind of work. The 
device is complicated, requiring a foot pump, an air 
tank and an expenditure only justified for profession- 
als. Its cost varies from $30 to $65. 



FREE-HAND AND CUT PANELS. 




DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



The best, cheapest and most effective color mixture 
for spraying is Letterine. Use about eight parts of 
water to one of Letterine. 

SPATTER WORK. 

A primitive and inexpensive method for producing 
spray effects, but of coarser appearance than that 
which is accomplished with atomizers, is to use an old 
tooth brush and a small stick like a toothpick. Dip 
the brush into your diluted color, and shake out the 
color so that it does not drip. Hold the brush with 
the bristle side within 6 inches or a foot from your 
table. Draw the stick across the bristles while hold- 
ing the brush in your left hand. Fern leaves, letters 
cut out or any kind of design cut from card or paper, 
are laid flat on the paper or cardboard to be orna- 
mented, small weights placed thereon, and by liberal 
spattering around the design the card will show a 
plain surface when the pattern is removed, and the 
design will stand out clearly. 

LETTERING ON MIRRORS OR GLASS. 

If you desire temporarv signs on mirrors they can 
readily be written by using any of the white or water 
color mixtures. If you wish them to remain on the 



glass any length of time mix the paint in the same 
manner as for card work. It can be removed by using 
hot water. If the sign is to stand for a few days, add 
only a few drops of mucilage to your color. Flat 
brush strokes are the best for this purpose. 

If you wish a temporarv sign on the inside front of 
your show window, trace your sign on the outside 
with chalk ; then follow these lines from the inside 
of the glass. Any colors may be used. 

RIBBONETTES. 

These designs are intended for use on stationery 
or box labels, and can be used to good advantage as 
corner designs on show-cards. In the latter case the 
card should be tinted and the outlines be in black, 
white or gold. 

DUPLICATING CARDS BY ENGRAVING. 

When large quantities of the same card are desired, 
whether it is a small ticket or a full sheet card, it is ad- 
visable to make one carefully lettered design in black 
on a white card. Then send the design to the photo- 
engraver, in order that a zinc engraving may be made 
from it. The desired quantity of cards may then be 
printed in any color or combination of colors, on any 



76 



RIBBONETTES. 




DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



kind of plain or colored card. Comparatively few 
printers are equipped to handle cards larger than quar- 
ter sheets, n x 14 inches. Many cards are printed 
in this manner, and the first or "initial" letter is after- 
ward painted by hand and finished with scroll-work. 
Others are printed entirely on tinted cards, and only 
the shading of some of the words is done by hand, 
giving the card a much better appearance than if print- 
ed from several plates. 

Another method is to engrave the displayed lettering 
(that is the bold letters), then print and fill in the 
undisplayed words by pen hand-work. 

The displayed letters can of course be shaded by 
hand, which to the average person creates the im- 
pression that the printed letters are also hand-work. 

SCROLLS. 

Figs. 21, 22 and 23 show the simplest construc- 
tion of scrolls. The beauty of designs 24 and 25 will 
appeal to the most ignorant and untrained eye. 
Scroll-work should not be designed with a pencil. It 
should be practiced often. From the very beginning 
make your strokes as rapidly as possible. You will 
soon be astonished at the endless variety of designs 
that you will originate. It is very much easier to 
originate scroll designs than to copy them. By prac- 



ticing parts of Figs. 24 and 25 and gradually joining 
them as in Fig. 2$ you will become acquainted 
with the construction of intricate designs. 

DUPLICATING SCROLLS. 

If you desire to duplicate scrolls you must, of 
course, copy the structural or main lines through 
tracing paper with a very soft pencil and transfer in 
reversed position by placing the side of your paper 
having the lead pencil marks downward on your card, 
then using a hard pencil and tracing over the soft 
lead design, which will show through the paper dis- 
tinctly. The pressure of the hard pencil transfers the 
soft lead marks to your card. If you take this book 
and invert it. bringing the Fig. 25 scroll to its top, 
you will see that the beauty of the designs is not only 
not lessened but perhaps intensified. The student 
should practice making designs in this reversed posi- 
tion. In this manner they can readily be duplicated in 
this reversed position also by rubbing a soft pencil 
over the entire surface of that side on which you 
have used the hard pencil. Then trace over the orig- 
inal soft pencil marks by using a hard pencil. Trans- 
fer carbon paper can also be used to good advan- 
tage. When writing large scrolls the hand is gen- 
erallv entirelv raised from the surface of table. 



78 



SCROLLS. 




79 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTEKER. 



CENTRE AND SIDE SCROLLS. 

For show-cards designs like A to E are used with 
good effect under words to emphasize them or to 
mark a paragraph. The side scrolls are used to great 
advantage to fill in a space, to place on one end of a 
word or on both sides of it. In the latter case to 
make them exact they should be transferred as ex- 
plained in a previous lesson. 

EMBOSSED ORNAMENTS. 

Gold ornaments like those on the corners of No. 
210 and in the centre of No. 217 on page 56 are im- 
ported from Germany. The first are in squares form-' 
ing sheets, having 100 to the sheet. The rings are 
packed in nests, beginning with those one-half men in 
diameter and ranging in various sizes to 5 inches wide. 
The same may be bought in ovals. To fasten em- 
bossed ornaments, the best method is to spread glue 
across a pane of glass, place the backs of the orna- 
ments on the glass, then take a paper, cover them, and 
use considerable pressure of your hand while stroking 
the top of the paper. With a pair of tweezers place 
the ornaments in the position wanted, and, with a nar- 
row roller such as is used by paperhangers, roll over 
the ornaments, which will then be firmlv attached to 



the card. The gold rope ring in the centre of No. 211 
is made by a machine, which embosses it and sinks it 
into the body of the card, so that it is firmly embedded. 

FLITTER. 

Flitter is a flaky tinsel which is sold by the pound 
or ounce at all paint supply stores. It can be obtained 
in gold, silver, purple, green, fire gilt, and a variety of 
other colors. It is generally used on signs intended 
for night display or holiday purposes. It is best ap- 
plied by using thinly diluted glue, just like paint. 

Place a large sheet of paper under your card and 
spread a liberal quantity of flitter on its surface, being 
careful that every portion of the wet glue lines is com- 
pletely covered with the flitter by gliding it along the 
entire surface of the card bv raising and lowering one 
end. Then shake off all surplus flitter onto the paper. 

If you wish to display a line of gold flitter next to 
a line of green or other color of flitter, repeat the 
same process after you have applied one color. Then 
allow the card to dry thoroughly before handling it. 

BRONZE. 

Bronze can be bought in many colors. Pale gold 
and aluminum (instead of silver) are the most in use 



80 



CENTRE AND SIDE SCROLLS. 




81 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



by show-card writers, though the latter is seldom 
used. It is advisable to place it in a small bottle. 
This will keep it free from moisture, and it is more 
cleanly and readily handled than if it is allowed to 
remain in the paper ounce packages in which it is 
enclosed when purchased. Take a quantity and place 
it in a cup or glass; add enough mucilage to make a 
thick stiff paste, stirring and grinding it thoroughly 
against the sides with a round stick. Add enough 
water to thin it to the consistency of a thin syrup. 

Bronze liquid, which is varnish and turpentine, can 
also be used to mix with bronze, and after it is applied 
to any surface the same will dry hard and be nicely 
bronzed. Another method is to cover any object with 
shellac diluted in alcohol. This dries rapidly. 

As soon as it becomes tacky apply the bronze 
powder with a dry bristle brush. 

MAT CUTTING. 

A straightedge, cutting knife, lead pencil and an oil 
stone constitute the equipment of the mat cutter. Ex- 
amine the Christmas card on page 72. The light back- 
ground and the oval on top are marked out on a sheet 
of manila paper the same size as the entire card. The 
mat cutter then lays it on a sheet of mat card, and with 
his knife, which has two curved sharp edges shaped 



somewhat like an ink eraser and encased in a strong 
handle, he cuts out the shape, holding his knife in a 
slanting position, which makes the edges beveled. This 
mat then serves as a pattern for the others to be cut, 
and is laid on the next card, the pattern edges being 
quickly traced by running a pencil point along its sur- 
face. Expert cutters merely lay on a cut-out mat, fol- 
lowing its contour with the knife. 

CORNER SCROLLS. 

Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 offer excellent examples of 
corner scrolls to be used on cards instead of plain 
edge-lines. Fig. 14 is a modest centre scroll de- 
sign. Fig. 15 is of difficult construction, being 
different on both sides and requiring much practice. 
It is an appropriate side scroll for any light faced let- 
tered panel and can be effectively used as a centre top 
or bottom scroll. Figure 13 forms a neat, readily 
learned panel that can be utilized in many ways. 

BEVELING. 

Card beveling is also a distinct business. The bev- 
eler clamps from twenty-five to fifty cards in a wooden 
screw vise. The cards are so arranged that one over- 
laps the others, according to the thickness of its edge. 



82 



CORNER SCROLLS. 




83 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



With special hand planes the entire pack is planed 
smooth, gold sizing is applied, and metal or gold leaf 
burnished on top of this. All four sides being thus 
treated, the cards are finished. You can bevel your 
cards with a knife, one at a time, and if desired can 
readily gild the edges with gold bronze. 

ROCOCO PANELS. 

Figs. 26. 27 and 28 are exquisite examples of im- 
promptu designing. A No. 7 brush was used in mak- 
ing these as well as all the preceding scroll lessons. 
The latticed lines in Fig. 27 are the last ones to be 
made. Fig. 28 can be used in any position. It would 
afford an excellent panel for a cover design title. It 
could in an upright position, with printing along its 
centre, be effectively used by jewelers, stationers or 
any tradesmen handling artistic or high class mer- 
chandise. The letters used in such a panel should be 
plain and neat to thoroughly harmonize. 

GLUE. 

For pasting cardboard on frames, joining cards, 
pasting edging, or embossed ornaments and for flitter 
work, use fish glue. Where you do not require large 
quantities use Le Page's, which is put up in small 



cans with screw tops. It is the best and free from 
bad odors. It should be thinned with water or 
vinegar. Apply with a soft bristle brush. 

PASTE. 

Use ordinary Hour paste, such as is used by paper- 
hangers, to which you may add a quantity of glue, 
then thin with water and mix thoroughly. This paste 
is used for covering plain cardboard with the fancy or 
plain papers, which cannot be found in made up 
sheets of card. The paper receives a liberal amount 
of paste, which is evenly spread on with a wide brush. 
It is smoothed down with a soft rag and the palm of 
the hand. Put weights on the cards until dry. 

CUTTING DIES. 

\\ hen large quantities of odd shaped tickets are re- 
quired, like Nos. 229 and 233 on page 59, or 242, 244 
and 247 on page 61, or quantities of paper shapes for 
pasting are needed, like the centres of Nos. 243 and 
-'49 on page 61, it is advisable to cut them out by using 
hand or machine dies. A hand die is placed on from 
ten to twenty pieces of card, which is rested on a flat 
piece of hard wood or lead, placed on a heavy chopping 
block, anvil or in the centre of a barrel of sand. The 



84 



ROCOCO PANELS. 




DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



die, which has a long handle, is vigorously struck with 
a heavy mallet which cuts out the shapes. The ma- 
chine die is placed under a drop press which cuts out 
from 25 to 100 with one stroke. 

SCRIPT BRUSH SCROLLS. 

These scrolls, though the simplest in construction, 
are the most difficult to execute properly. Only the 
simplest of these lines, such as are used to construct 
Fig. 30, need ever be used on show-cards. These' 
strokes must be made just as you would make 
shaded script letters with an ordinary pen. A light 
sweep of the free brush, a gradual, gentle and then 
intensified pressure as you approach the thickened 
centre of the curve, a gradual lessening of the pres- 
sure and tile faintest possible touch of the extreme 
point of the brush as you raise it from the card, and 
the stroke is completed. Practice these very often. 

CARD TRANSPARENCIES. 

Card transparencies are made by cutting out the 
letters or figures that are to appear illuminated, by 
using a sharp knife, so that it cuts clean edges. At 
the back of these openings paste colored tissue paper. 
The most durable method is to paste on the back 



some glazed linen, such as is used by architects for 
drawing plans. On this can be pasted or painted any 
object not intended to be lit up. Foil paper in various 
colors, like fire red, green, yellow, silver and gold, can 
be used to good advantage for such signs. Flitter 
ornamentation is also much used for this purpose. 

The card will in this manner be neatly decorated by 
day, and when placed before a light at night the linen 
will be illuminated in a mellow glow, which will be 
reflected with resplendent rays from the foil or flitter 
ornamentation placed on its surface or around it. 

SAMPLE LETTERS. 

Attractive styles of letters can be clipped from mag- 
azines and newspapers during the month. You 
should have two pages for each letter of the alphabet. 
At the end of each month paste the letters on their 
respective pages. Within a year you will have a fine 
collection of odd styles which you can readily copy 
or transfer if you desire by tracing. Initials and mon- 
ograms can often be used to good advantage, and if 
you gather these for several years you will obtain a 
valuable collection. I have refrained from placing 
the regular fonts of type styles in this book because 
all the student need do is to refer to magazines and 
he can copy them. 



86 



SCRIPT BRUSH SCROLLS. 




87 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



INITIALS. 

Our last illustrations offer the daintiest examples 
of scroll-work done with a brush. The letter R in 
gold with black scrolls, or red with gold scrolls, makes 
a pleasing combination. The letter C, if lettered red 
or blue with a black or gold edge-line and gold scrolls, 
is very pretty. The F offers a variety of .opportuni- 
ties for embellishment in color combinations. The 
letter in dark green, the lower outline in gold and 
the leaves in light green, would make a fine appear- 
ance in contrast to the other color combinations sug- 
gested. The letter P in black, with white edge-line 
on a red panel and the scrolls in gold, would prove 
highly decorative. The scrolled panel can be photo- 
engraved and mortised to hold any initial. 

Our last design, S, H, shows the possibilities for 
scroll designing in monogram work. Monograms 
should be simple, but the scroll-work may be elaborate. 

PHOTO-ENGRAVING. 

I intend to briefly explain this process, avoiding 
technicalities, believing that the average publisher is 
misguided in casting so much mystery about these 
matters. If advertisers knew more about the prepa- 
ration of designs and cuts they would be more rea- 



sonable in their expectations and less exacting as 
regards deliveries and better able to more intelligently 
place their orders. All the alphabets in this book are 
photo-engravings, called "line engravings." A photo- 
graph is taken on glass from a design which is usu- 
ally drawn from two to four times the size required. 
The design is generally drawn in black on white or 
white on black. All the scroll designs in this book 
were drawn in white on black. After several proc- 
esses the photograph, which is black and white, is 
transferred or printed onto a piece of flat, smooth 
zinc. Let us suppose that the initiating chart on page 
9 is being engraved. All of the lines are tacky after 
they are transferred and the rest of the surface of 
the zinc plate is drv. An orange red powder called 
dragon's blood, which is made from a South Amer- 
ican vegetable, is then put over the entire plate. The 
surplus dragon's blood is shaken off and the plate 
dried over a gas jet. Then it is brushed over and 
the plate is perfectly clean, but all of the lines on the 
plate are covered with the dragon's blood. The back 
and sides of the Dlate are painted with asphaltum. 
When this is dry the plate is immersed and constantly 
rocked in a solution containing one-ninth part acid. 
The acid eats away all the polished top surface of the 
zinc and cannot act on the lines covered with 
dragon's blood. This process is repeated several 



88 



IXITIAL SCROLLS. 




89 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



times, and such parts as have not been eaten away 
are cut out (called routing out) with a rapidly revolv- 
ing knife edge tool. The plate is then mounted on a 
wooden block, which, combined with the thickness of 
the zinc, makes it the same height as the printer's 
type. The engraving is then ready for the printer. 
It is the practice, however, to first make an electro- 
type from the zinc photo-engraving, because if any- 
thing should damage it while on the press, or it be- 
comes worn, it will be necessary to make a new en- 
graving, while the cost of an electrotype is trifling. 

ELECTROTYPING. 

Electrotyping is generally done in a different es- 
tablishment. The electrotyper takes a board on 
which is spread a layer of wax about one-quarter inch 
thick. The photo-engraving is placed face down on 
this wax and pressure applied, so that when the en- 
graving is removed all of the lines on our chart will 
be impressed into the wax. Powdered lead (graphite) 
is then applied to the entire impression or mold. The 
wax is then inserted into a chemical solution con- 
taining copper, which adheres to the wax and forms a 
thin shell of copper containing every detail on the 
zinc plate. These shells are filled with molten lead 
and then blocked on wood, ready for the printer. 



HALF-TONE ENGRAVING. 

The term "half-tone" is really a misnomer. When 
the inventor of the process showed a friend the first 
photo plate engraving he was told that it had only 
half of the tones in the original photograph ; but 
half-tone engravings when perfectly made, like those 
illustrating the price tickets in this book, certainly 
show all the tones. Notice the eagle on page 62. 
Every detail, shade, shadow and reflection can be 
clearly and distinctly seen. 

Half-tone engravings are photographed through 
a wire screen. If you take a magnifying glass you 
will see tiny squares all over the designs. For ordi- 
nary newspaper work the screen is coarser than when 
the printing is to be done on smooth paper. Let us 
refer to page 64. These four tickets, just twice as 
large as shown, were pasted on a gray card double 
the size of the page plate. They were then photo- 
graphed through the screen on a glass plate. After- 
ward the plate was placed over a polished plate of cop- 
per having its surface specially prepared. The copper 
and glass plates were then exposed for about twenty 
minutes to a burning arc light. The finished half-tone 
engraving is mounted in the same manner as an elec- 
trotype, on a wooden block. Printing with an elec- 
trotype of a half-tone is never as satisfactory as print- 



90 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



ing from the originals. It is advisable always, how- 
ever, to make an electrotype of all half-tones because 
they are more readily injured, and the electrotype will 
obviate the necessity of an expensive outlay in case of 
accident to the original plate. 

PHOTO-ENGRAVING OBJECTS. 

If you want to make a booklet showing styles of 
garments or merchandise send the articles to the 
photo-engraver. He places them in the proper posi- 
tion and light and then takes a photograph. If the 
sunlight is bright that day your merchandise can be 
returned within a few hours, but you should wait sev- 
eral days for your half-tone "cuts." 

REDUCTION IN ENGRAVING. 

The four illustrations on page 93 show the method 
for ascertaining the exact dimensions of any picture 
after reduction in the process of engraving to a stipu- 
lated size in width or length. We have chosen two 
extreme designs, the one of the clown being upright 
and having mostly heavy outlines, and the other with 
the boy being horizontal or "landscape" and having 
mostly faint lines. The original height of the figure 
of the clown was iyi inches. In order to ascertain its 



width when reduced to z\ inches in height we proceed 
by carefully following these instructions : 

Draw a diagonal line from A to B across the picture 
in light blue lead pencil (light blue will not reproduce 
during the process of photo-engraving, the blue rays 
being absorbed). With a ruler measure from the base 
line to a point 2\ inches distant from the diagonal line 
E to D, and draw another line from that point as 
shown to the left of the picture at the second point C. 
You will then have a diagram of the exact dimensions 
of the reduced engraving and can tell by measuring 
from the point at the side C to the point at the diago- 
nal line indicated by the arrow on our sketch at D 
that the engraving will measure exactly 1 g inches in 
width after reduction. 

The two panels on this design are intended to be 
mortised, which means that as much of the inner 
space as is possible is cut through the engraving and 
also through the wooden block on its back, so that 
the printer may insert therein any desired words in 
type. Such a design is excellent for newspaper ad- 
vertising. The same cut may be used for a regular 
standing design and the type in the oblong and round 
panels changed every day if desired. 

The same process of measurement can be observed 
in the second illustration. The original illustration 
measured 4{ inches in length. We desire to reduce 



91 



1 KW IDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



it to occupy a space of 2% inches in length, and wish 
to ascertain what its height will be when reduced. 
Drawing a diagonal line across its centre from A to B, 
and measuring from its side from the point C to a 
point meeting the diagonal line 2% inches distant, D, 
we find that by drawing a straight line from that point 
to the base of the picture at point E the distance will 
be if inches. Measuring both of the small reduced 
pictures, these dimensions will be verified and will 
agree with the rectangular diagrams in the original 
designs. This method is followed exactly when the 
original designs are very large, but no lines whatever 
are drawn across the face of the designs, which in 
many cases are very costly and highly prized by the 
artists, who do not want them defaced by lines. The 
method employed, instead of drawing a line across its 
diameter, is to place a ruler or straightedge across the 
diameter and to measure the distance with another 
ruler from a base line or side line to the diameter. 
Where designs are small and require enlargement the 
same process is employed, but it must be remembered 
that all lines will appear coarser and the spaces be- 
tween lines proportionately wider. 

When you send a picture which you wish reduced 
to a certain size in height or width, give only one 
dimension. The picture never reduces in different 
proportions, therefore it is only necessary to state 



what height or what width it isto occupy and the un- 
mentioned measurement will appear in correct pro- 
portion. Write instructions on the back of design. 

The reader will be interested to learn that the 
original designs from which the two large engravings 
were made were four times as high and four times as 
wide as those here illustrated. It will therefore be 
seen that the black outlines on the clown were three- 
eighth inch thick and the largest dot on the right hand 
lower side of the clown's jacket was half an inch in 
circumference. The July original card was 17 inches 
wide and 8^ inches high. 

Suppose you desired to print the clown design so 
that the skull cap, the lines over the eyes, the lips and 
the polka dots should appear in red. You would re- 
quire two cuts. The second cut would be made ex- 
actly like the first one; then all the lines except those 
desired to appear in red would be cut off (routed out). 
The printer could then print red first, and after that 
print the black part of the design. 

REDUCTION GLASS. 

If you are making a design or have a finished de- 
sign and wish to see what it would look like if all of 
its lines were reduced, you should have a reduction 
glass. These glasses are round lenses that can be 



92 



MEASURING FOR PHOTO-ENGRAVING. 




THE SYSTEM FOR MEASURING REDUC 
TIONS FOR HALF TONE ENGRAVINGS 
IS EXACTLY LIKE THE METHOD 
SHOWN HERE FOR LINE-WORK 



DA\~ IDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



bought at most opticians' mounted in a metal ring, 
and if desired also with a handle. The reduction lens 
is ground convex on both sides, and instead of mag- 
nifying objects it causes the reverse effect, diminish- 
ing the size. If you take a magnifying glass, the 
farther you hold it from the picture to a certain focus 
the larger the picture will be. Do the same with the 
reducing glass and the smaller the picture will appear. 

PHOTOGRAPHING COLORS BLACK. 

If you have a design that is printed, drawn or 
painted in lines or masses of black, red, dark yellow, 
dark green, brown or gold, you can have an enlarged 
or reduced photo-engraving made from it without any 
additional expense. All these colors will photograph 
black, and it will not be necessary to pay an artist to 
make a drawing unless you require the engraving in 
a size which will be out of proportion to the original 
design either in length or height. To see the various 
tones of colors as they appear when reproduced on a 
half-tone photo-engraving let us observe the card on 
the last page of this book; but first I will describe the 
method employed and the material used in making 
this attractive card. The hat and head of the dude 
are made of plaster-of-paris. The hat and head of the 
man behind the fence are embossed, cut from an im- 



ported card. The fence is of glazed light oak paper 
having the oak grain printed thereon in brown. All of 
the lettering is black except the firm name, which was 
painted in white. The address under it was omitted 
on the original, and after the half-tone plate was com- 
pleted an engraver cut out these numbers and letters 
by hand with a steel graver. The dark sod under the 
fence is medium green and the tufts of grass are dark 
green. The dude's tie is red, the pipe brown, and his 
hat glazed black. The background over the fence 
is medium blue. A light blue would have shown com- 
pletely white. This explanation may prove valuable 
some day if you wish to know color effects when 
reproduced in half-tone and a reference to the design 
may save much trouble and unnecessary expense. 

WASH DRAWINGS. 

Line engravings are made from designs having all of 
the lines drawn distinctly in individual pen or brush 
strokes. Wash drawings, however, have the designs 
painted with a brush in black and white or brown and 
white, and the shading and tones washed or blended 
together with water, resembling somewhat the effect 
of an unfinished photograph before it is burnished 
with a glossy surface. Half-tone engravings are made 
from wash-drawings or photographs. 



94 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



TINT PAPER. 

On page 93 you will see that the firecrackers are 
shaded in beautiful parallel lines. The largest cracker 
in its original size, before reduction, was 1 inch wide 
and 4 inches high, and the others in proportion. To 
draw all these lines by hand would require several 
hours, and they could not be as uniform in distance. 
The artist buys paper, "tinted." with narrow parallel 
lines. It can be had with lines of various thicknesses 
and distances apart being uniform on each sheet, and 
also with lines having graduated distances between 
them, besides having the lines gradually thicker, 
so that when reduced in engraving one end will 
appear very dark and the other very light. Other 
tint papers have their entire surface covered with small 
dots, either all of one size and shade or graduated in 
both size and density. These are called stippled back- 
grounds. Stippling by hand with pen requires great 
care and an enormous loss of time, as each dot is made 
by a separate touch of the pen point. 

The firecrackers being indicated in outline on the 
original design, they are copied on tracing paper and 
transferred to the printed surface of the tint paper, the 
stems, of course, being omitted. These shapes are 
then cut out with a pair of scissors and pasted in the 
proper positions over the original drawings, and the 



steins, curved lines and shadows are then drawn. The 
white ( high lights ) lines are then painted. 

You often see light, uniformly ruled or stippled 
backgrounds in magazine and newspaper advertise- 
ments, having either plain white letters or white let- 
ters with black outlines, across these tinted back- 
grounds. Such engravings are quickly made by let- 
tering over the tint paper in white and then outlining 
with black, and the photo-engraver does the rest. 
Black lettering with white outlines makes another at- 
tractive design on these tinted papers. By cutting out 
cloud effects from magazine pictures (that is, line en- 
gravings) and lettering on them, some excellent con- 
trasts are produced. Other beautiful backgrounds can 
be originated by using printed cottons, like percale, 
calico, sleeve linings, and painting in black on these. 
Only such colors as are mentioned on page 94 should 
be used and the engraving will be perfect. 

OIL CLOTH SIGNS. 

The best material for this purpose is plain white. 
If this is not available the "marble oil cloth" with 
white ground may be used. Stretch your oil cloth on 
frames measuring at least 42 inches across, unless you 
want narrower ones. Mark out your sign in minia- 
ture on a small piece of paper. Divide this design 



95 



DA}' IDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



into squares by ruling across its face. These squares 
may be any size you desire, but must represent a 
reduced scale of the proportion which you require on 
your oil cloth sign. Suppose you call every half-inch 
on your paper one foot on your sign. If your paper 
design is one foot long your sign would be 24 feet 
long. If your scale is one inch, the sign would 
be 12 feet long. Xow number the squares on 
your design, beginning at the left top one. You may 
stretch as many frames of oil cloth as will conform 
with the height and width of sign required and mark 
out the squares on each with charcoal, colored chalk or 
lead pencil. Then number your squares on the oil 
cloth and you will be surprised how quickly and 
readily you can insert any letter or part of letter or 
design exactly where you require it, no matter what 
section of the sign you are working on. There are 
several other methods for doing this work, but for 
non-professionals I am positive this is the best. After 
your color is thoroughly dry you may use a sponge or 
rag and water to wash off chalk or charcoal marks. 

OIL CLOTH PAINT. 

For lettering in black the best mixture is asphalt, 
two parts, and dry lampblack, one part. Mix thor- 
oughly by adding a little of the lampblack at a time. 



then thin carefully with a little turpentine. This dries 
glossy and hardens rapidly. 

Ivory black ground in japan and thinned with a 
little turpentine is another black. This dries duller 
finish. It is generally used by sign painters. 

English vermillion dry, mixed thick with white de- 
mar varnish and thinned with turpentine, dries glossy. 

The best method for filling in the letters on oil cloth 
signs to prevent the paint from running streaky is to 
lay the sign flat across two wooden horses or tables. 

The best brushes for oil cloth work or other sign 
work are flat pointed, red sable, ranging in size from 
Nos. 3 to 12. These are all for outlining or the 
smaller letters. To fill in you should have brushes i, 
1 inch and 2 inches wide. Rinse in turpentine. 

OUTDOOR CLOTH TRANSPARENCIES. 

If you desire a sign that will be of service for special 
occasions, so that it may be clearly read by night as 
well as by day, you proceed as follows : Across a 
strong wooden frame stretch a cheap grade of 
bleached muslin. Tack the top end of the muslin to 
the back part of the frame, placing a tack every 3 
inches; then stretch the muslin so it is tight on the 
frame as you go along, tacking the lower end. The 
two sides are then stretched in the same manner. 



96 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



With colored chalk and twine you can snap lines 
across the desired distances for the height of your 
letters. Now, take a piece of artists' charcoal and 
lightly mark out your letters or design. If you wish 
to expose the sign to the weather outside of your 
show window, you must mix oil color as follows: Mix 
the color with oil and a small quantity of turpentine, 
adding some japan, just as you would with any oil 
paint. Now take a wet sponge or a wet cloth and wet 
the entire back surface of your stretched cloth. Then 
with a lettering brush mark out all your letters or de- 
signs with clean cut edges, taking great care not to 
touch with paint any part of the design that is to be 
illuminated. This is called "cutting in." Now, take 
one or two sizes of large bristle brushes and paint the 
entire surface that is to be dark. Allow it to dry thor- 
oughly, then with a cloth rub off all charcoal marks. 

INDOOR TRANSPARENCIES. 

Proceed in the same manner as explained, but paint 
with water color by using a liberal amount of color 
and gum arabic, being sure that your color is pretty 
heavy. The best color for this purpose is black. Buy 
dry lampblack and mix it in a can. Mix it with your 
gum as thick as possible, using a stick, and have it 
ready for lettering as thick as a free syrup, taking care 



that it is ground smooth before you outline with it. 
For filling in you can use bristle brushes. To force 
the color into the sheeting makes it thoroughly opaque 
where painted. A pretty effect for such work is to 
show a row of buildings. This can readily be executed 
by painting them in silhouette (outline), marking out 
many little oblong spaces for windows, and all the 
buildings then blackened. Your sign may be cut in 
on top of this in a panel or you can letter it in black. 

PAINTING ON SATIN. 

Water colors can be effectively used on satin. There 
is no special preparation necessary and the paint can 
be applied exactly as on show-cards. I would recom- 
mend that you use diluted glue for sizing instead of 
mucilage. Silver and gold bronze can be applied in 
the same manner. 

OIL COLORS ON SATIN. 

Tube colors are used for this purpose. Apply a 
thin coating of white lead from which the oil is first 
freed by placing the paint on blotting paper. When 
this is dry the other colors are applied. When no 
white background is desired, treat the colors in the 
same manner, but thin with a little turpentine. 



97 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 
BLACK IN JAPAN. 



Ivory black ground in japan is used by coach and 
sign painters. It makes an excellent solid black sur- 
face which can afterward be varnished to good effect. 
As we explained elsewhere, it is also used for oil cloth 
lettering. 

BLACK PAINT. 

Black paint is more often used than any of the col- 
ors. For water-color mixing, use lampblack or ivory 
black. They can be bought dry in small packages at 
a trifling cost. They are, however, in this dry state 
very undesirable colors to have about any premises 
except a paint shop, as they are so light that a slight 
draught of air may blow them over the room and 
cause much damage. Unless you have a very large 
job, like a cloth transparency or wooden sign, I would 
advise you not to buy black in dry form. 

If you do require it, mix it outdoors in a can, being 
careful to mix a small quantity at a time and thor- 
oughly grind it. Should you want dull black lettering 
on card signs I would advise you to buy one jar of 
ivory black in "distemper." You need only a small 
quantity of this each time you write a sign. You must 
be sure, however, to mix some mucilage with it before 
using. The jar must always have about one-half inch 



of water on top of the paint before you put the cover 
on. In this manner it will always remain moist and 
fit for mixing. For glossy letters nothing has the 
same body nor will prove as effective as Letterine. 

SMALT. 

Smalt is sand colored by a special process and 
mostly used by sign painters on wooden backgrounds, 
and also on oil cloth signs. Blue, black, green, brown 
and maroon are the most popular colors. The back- 
ground is usually painted with lampblack mixed with 
japan and the sand is liberally sprinkled over it by 
placing the sign flat, then immediately setting it up- 
right, and the surplus smalt comes off. It dries over 
night. Before using the smalt place your sign over a 
cloth or newspaper, so that the smalt will not be on 
your floor afterward. 

FLOCK. 

Flock is ground shoddy or felt dyed in various col- 
ors, chiefly red, maroon and green. It is applied ex- 
actly like smalt, but is an undesirable substance in any 
store, as it is readily blown about. For interior signs 
that are lettered in gold a flock sign has no equal in 
richness. 



98 



DAVIDS' PRACTICAL LETTERER. 



COLOR MIXTURES. 

Allow me once more to caution you not to use your 
lettering brushes for mixing colors. Use any cheap 
brush, a stick or the palette knife for this purpose. 
The mixtures here noted are used chiefly for flower and 
figure painting. These being distinct branches of the 
higher arts are therefore not embodied in this book. 
There are a great many other color combinations be- 
sides those noted here, but they are not deemed of suf- 
ficient importance to require mention here. You will 
soon learn them yourself. 

Two Colors. 

Green — Blue, yellow. 
Purple — Blue, red. 
Orange — Red, yellow. 
Peach — Vermilion, white. 
Rose — Madder lake, white. 
Lemon — Chrome yellow, white. 
Pink Brilliant — Rose lake, white. 
Azure — Cobalt blue, white. 

Three Colors. 

Violet — Blue, red, white. 
Claret — Red, umber, black. 
Brown — Red, yellow, blue. 



Fawn — Yellow, red, white. 

Flesh — Yellow ochre J, vermilion £, white i. 

Chestnut — Red, black, yellow. 

Chocolate — Raw umber, red, black. 

Copper — Red, yellow, black. 

Buff — Yellow ochre, white, red. 

Cream — Burnt sienna j, yellow ], white .',-. 

Fol'r Colors. 

Drab — Yellow ochre, white, red, black. 
Dove — Vermilion, white, blue, yellow. 
Olive Green — Yellow, blue, black, white. 
Sandstone — White, yellow, ochre black, red. 

Grays. 
White, black. 
Burnt sienna, blue, white. 
Black, white, blue. 
Burnt umber, blue (see drab and dove colon. 

Greens. 

Dark Green — Prussian blue, chrome yellow. 
Brilliant Green — Lemon yellow, chrome green. 
Pea Green — Chrome green, white. 
Olive Green — Lemon yellow, chrome green and 
burnt sienna. 

Bronze Green — Chrome green, black, yellow. 



99 



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